The Love Trap
by geea2
Summary: Love that bounces back after three years and two different cities. Reminiscent of "The Parent Trap" with differences...Brathan and their kids! BRATHAN
1. The Secret Is Out

Brooke Davis smiled as the last customer of the night left her boutique. It had been a long day and one of the most disgustingly wet days in New York City. Lucky for her the rain had finally stopped. She would quickly count the money, deposit it, and then go pick up her dry cleaning before going to get her daughter. An hour later she was speed walking along with the rest of the city, the bank was only two blocks away but by the time she got there her toes ached. Breaking in new stilettos on city blocks was verging on suicidal. But she really had no complaints. She was skilled with fashion and as a result could afford to keep herself and her daughter in luxury, which was a blessing after her parents disowned her. Of course, she hadn't been completely devoid of any monetary funds because at age eighteen she had come into her trust fund.

Basically she had created the type of lifestyle that allowed her to be a mother who was also a working woman. She was Brooke Davis, the head and CEO of her fashion line Clothes Over Bros, the bitch who refused to put a model on her magazine cover unless she was at least a size three and the best mother at Mommy & Me.

She stopped in front of The Children's Center where her daughter went to every weekday while Brooke went out and tackled the world. She loved that they had very strict security because she was rather paranoid. It was one thing for people to gossip about her but she wanted to shield Molly from all of that.

"Welcome, Miss Davis," Deacon, the very colossal security guard opened the door.

"Thank you Deacon," Brooke replied and began to walk toward the Tenacious Threes section of the daycare. Molly had been in this daycare since she was a Napping Newborn, through to a Fun First Year, and a Tiny Two. Brooke rolled her eyes at the names but then thought that it was a good thing some people were born to deal with everyone else's kids.

Before Brooke even fully opened the door there was a 2'5" bundle of energy with her arms wrapped around her legs. Brooke smiled down at her daughter, "hey baby, look at you! All ready to go?"

Molly looked up at her mother, complete adoration in her dark blue eyes, "Mommy, I played with Sarah! We played blocks and painted!"

"Really," Brooke waved at the attendant before signing the chart and taking Molly's hand, "I thought you were going to play with Tony today."

"No, me and Sarah had fun," Molly told her.

Brooke looked outside as they approached the door and sighed. It had started to rain in the few moments she had been inside. Molly released her mother's hand to pull up her hood, Brooke didn't have the luxury of having a hood on her custom made jacket, made for her twenty-sixth birthday by Donatella Versace.

"Your cab is waiting Miss Davis," Deacon sounded behind her.

Brooke smiled gratefully, "thank you Deacon," added a wink and ran with her daughter toward the honking cab.

0000

Brooke lived on the upper east side of Manhattan in an apartment that had once been three different apartments. She had bought all three, torn down some walls and after half a year of working it had become her home. It was spacious with two bedrooms, an office and everything else she had ever wanted.

"I want macaroni and cheese," Molly told her as Brooke helped her out of her jacket.

"Boy, you are just like you're Godmother, do you know that?"

"Aunt Haley," Molly asked.

"Yeah, that's her favorite food," Brooke told her.

"Mommy," Molly waited until Brooke had turned from the cabinet, a box of macaroni and cheese in her hand, "do I have a Daddy?"

Brooke's mouth opened in surprise. She hadn't been expecting this question so soon. Maybe next year or even kindergarten but not right that second. How was she going to explain this to her daughter? The situation was complicated but before Brooke had split with Molly's father they had agreed to certain terms.

"Yes," Brooke began slowly, "everybody has a Mommy and a Daddy. But sometimes Mommies and Daddies can't be together. And other times they can be."

"Where's my Daddy," Molly asked next.

Brooke swallowed hard, "he's in Chicago, baby. Your Daddy really wanted to be with you but he had to go live in Chicago."

"Why?"

"Because he and Mommy couldn't be together anymore and we both decided you'd be better with me," Brooke told her.

Molly was an astute child. She realized that her mother was sad and that was why she quieted. But later as Brooke looked down at her angelic face as Molly slept she felt tears roll over. She hadn't cried over Nathan Scott in a very longtime. But she did still cry for what she'd lost when they'd parted ways.

It was so hard to be a single mother, harder when you considered that she knew she would never find a man who could rival Nathan. He had been her one and only love, she wasn't a cynic but she did recognize that not everybody experienced the kind of love she'd felt with Nathan. They'd been together for most of high school, the captain of the basketball team and the cheer squad, but their relationship had been more then popularity and sex. It had been two souls truly merging. Nathan had been more then her boyfriend and lover, he'd been her best friend. What she had missed the most after she left him was him just talking to her.

But they had both known they had to split, too much had happened. Nothing would ever be the same and they had both known what had to be done. Finally after a few long moments of crying Brooke wiped her eyes. She was okay, she was an independent twenty-six year old designer and mother, she was going to be just fine. She stepped out into the kitchen to clean the dishes and pushed the button on her answering machines. As she washed she smiled as Haley threatened her with her life if she didn't call back because it had been three whole days. But it was the next message that made Brooke's stomach drop to the floor.

0000

Nathan looked up at the gray sky and swore. If it started to rain it would take even longer to get there. He was all ready late because his practice had been postponed until later because one of the rookies thought all of the other player's lives revolved around him. Soon he'd know different. Rookies could be picked out quickly especially on a close team like the Bulls. Nathan had fit in as a rookie because he was on the same page as most of the other guys. He had a family to support.

Finally after what seemed like forever Nathan was in the backseat of one of the team's privately hired cars. After telling the driver the directions he flipped open his phone to listen to his voice mails. He smiled as he listened to Lucas berating him for not bringing his niece to visit more often. He smiled again when he heard his mother's voice telling him to visit for Thanksgiving this year because she really didn't want fly again just because he didn't like to come back to Tree Hill.

"We're here," the driver called.

Nathan flipped shut his phone, he'd listen to the other messages later. He walked into the daycare and nodded slightly at the security guard standing watch by the door. Barely two minutes later he was bending down to capture his three-year-old daughter, Ally, into his arms.

He looked her over, as he always did, "hello, little munchkin, you look good enough to eat," and proceeded to nuzzle her neck until she erupted into fits of giggles. Sometimes he thought it was curious that she had the same ticklish spots as Brooke, he wondered if Molly did too. Nathan felt his heart constrict but before he could dwell on it Ally wrapped her chubby little arms around his neck.

"I missed you today, Daddy, I made you a picture," Ally smiled happily as he let her go so she could show him.

Nathan looked at the mess of five different colors on a piece of plain white paper, it looked like a masterpiece to his biased eyes, "it's absolutely stunning, munchkin."

Without much more prompting Nathan took Ally back home. He lived in the older portion of Chicago in a small house but it was quaint and most of his neighbors were old and nice.

"Daddy," Ally spun around as Nathan removed her coat and then grinned up at him, "I want macaroni and cheese and where's my Mommy?"

Nathan's jaw dropped, had his daughter really just asked that question, "yes, we can have macaroni and cheese. Do you know that's your Godmother's favorite?"

"Daddy," she frowned as he lifted her onto a stool, "where's my Mommy?"

"Your Mommy," Nathan began. He knew this day would come, he and Brooke had talked tentatively about what they would say, "couldn't be with you, munchkin, we both agreed you'd be better off living with me in Chicago."

"Does she love me," Ally wanted to know.

Nathan struggled not to break, he had to be okay, "very much, munchkin, more then anything else. Sometimes Mommies and Daddies just can't be together anymore."

0000

Nathan recognized a lot of Brooke in Ally. While she had his eyes, she had two deep dimples, a pout that carried more persuasion then was fair and dark, deep brown hair that formed beautiful curls. Sometimes when he was alone he would look at the birth pictures he had left. Ally had been born two minutes before Molly but the moment Nathan had seen the two of them had been love at first sight. He and Brooke had been so happy, and so naïve. Everything had crumbled, they'd both done stupid things. In the end they had both known what had to be done.

It was sometime around ten when he finally flipped his cell phone back open to check on those messages he hadn't heard. He was surprised to see that he had missed a call since practice. He was even more surprised when he saw that it was Brooke's number. All at once his heart began to pound furiously. Thinking all kinds of awful, scary thoughts he hit his call button.

"Brooke," he said her name.

There was a pause, "have you watched the news?"

"Are you okay? Is Molly okay," he needed to know they were both okay or he would be flipping out.

"Turn on the television, Nate. It's bad," she paused, obviously waiting to do what he was told.

He turned on the television and flipped to a local news station. What he saw made his mouth fall open, "no way!"

"I know," she sounded tired.

There were two very detailed pictures of both he and Brooke in their separate cities with identical children. They had been found out. They had both worked very hard so no one would ever know they'd had twins together, that they had ever been together. Now it had leaked somehow and the shit had officially hit the fan.

"What now," she asked.

It occurred to Nathan that they hadn't spoken since the divorce had gone through when Molly and Ally were only three months old.

"This could compromise my position on the team," Nathan replied, "after what the rookies did last month in that bar with those minors my coach put up a warning that we were all on alert. The next person to bring bad press is benched or even gets their contract terminated."

"This could ruin my sales. I've worked hard to appeal to women of every facet of life. Mothers will be horrified that I left my little girl," he heard her sniff, "as if I wanted to."

"Calm down, Davis," Nathan managed. Her tears had always gotten to him.

"I all ready have my press editor calling your PR guy," Brooke sniffled again.

Nathan sighed, "I think we'll have to meet."

After a long pause and sigh, "I think you're right."

0000

Rachel walked into Brooke's apartment and tucked her copy of the key away in her purse. After Brooke's divorce she had relocated to New York to expand her label, while her apartment had been under construction she had stayed with Rachel. In that time Brooke and Rachel became even closer. So close that Molly didn't know Rachel as anything other then, "Auntie Rachel!"

The squeal accompanied by Molly running into her arms made Rachel's heart soften a bit, "hey, baby cakes, where's your mother?"

"In here, Rach," Rachel lifted Molly and walked into the office where Brooke was typing furiously at her lap top, "I couldn't go outside without being mobbed."

"Well good thing you don't have to take short stuff to soccer," Rachel replied.

Brooke looked up, her eyes dark and moody, "thank you for coming on such short notice. I shouldn't be gone longer then tomorrow morning."

"Why are you going to see him, why can't he come here," Rachel asked.

"Molly," Brooke glared at her friend, "why don't you go play with your dollies."

"Okay Mommy!"

"Thank you baby," Brooke smiled until Molly was out of sight, "I don't want her to know I'll be out of town seeing Nate. It would only confuse her."

"Well if you ask me-"

Brooke cut her off, "I'm not asking you. Look, I'm sorry to be so mean but this was not something that was supposed to happen."

"Will you get to see her," Rachel asked as she leaned forward.

"I don't know," Brooke shrugged.

"Don't pretend, B," Rachel chastised her, "we both know you still cry at night over that baby. They should know one another."

"It would just be too complicated," Brooke replied. Her heart ached, one of her arms was full with Molly, she wanted the other full with Ally.

0000

Nathan had never been so nervous in his entire life. Not even when he had asked Brooke out on their first date in ninth grade Social Studies via a well crafted note that including a check mark box for no or yes. He had spoken with his coach briefly, just long enough to have his wife look after Ally while he hid in the back gym waiting for Brooke to get there. The whole operation had to be very stealth, the coach had been very adamant about this whole get together ending with a solid story or Nathan's career would be in jeopardy.

His heart hadn't stopped beating aggressively since he'd heard Brooke's voice. It was insane that after all the shit they'd been through that she could still have that effect on him. He had to control himself, for Ally's sake and Molly's.

The clicking on the court got louder and louder before it stopped right beside him, he realized that it had been the sound of heels on the waxed floors. He finally looked up and into familiar hazel eyes, "Brooke."

"Nathan," her voice had a rough quality that made him hard whenever she spoke his name.

"I brought my people, they're talking to your people in the office," Brooke told him.

She didn't look different. She was still short, still gorgeous, her hair was shorter and twisted into some crazy hair thingy. Brooke was thinking the same thing. Nathan hadn't changed, just the length of his hair.

"Do we know who leaked," Nathan asked.

Brooke shook her head, "I'd give one guess but I don't know why he would try and ruin your career."

"Me either," Nathan wondered what that said about his father if they had both thought he was trying to ruin their respective careers.

There was a long pause before Brooke asked, "do you have a picture?"

Nathan nodded and reached for his wallet. Brooke reached in her planner and they swapped photos. Nathan looked at the little girl, identical to Ally, and felt his breath hitch. She was beautiful. He wanted to know her, wanted to hold her. He looked into Brooke's eyes and watched as a tear fell.

"She's gorgeous, Nathan," Brooke bit her lip and looked away.

"Molly's so big," Nathan looked away too.

"I want to see her," they both finally said at the same time. Their eyes met but before they could speak again their PR people were walking in.

They all sat down at the table that had been set up on the side of the court. Roger, Brooke's PR man, and one of the best in NYC began, "all sides agree that the only way to put a good spin on this is to get you kids together."

"What do you mean," Brooke asked nervously.

Tom, the team's PR representative, continued, "the world wants to see the basketball player and the fashion designer play house. We'll have to give that to them until this tides over."

"What about our kids? We can't put them together and take them apart," Nathan argued.

"I agree," Lila, a very knowledgeable old bat of a PR woman, told him, "so I think it may be time to rearrange your custody agreements pertaining to each child."

"We have to talk about this," Brooke told them. She rose and held her hand out to Nathan, "come on, let's take a walk around the gym."

Nathan took it and tried not to read too much into it. They had ended in one of the worst ways possible. They had to work this just right because it wasn't just them, there were two little girls who could potentially be traumatized from the whole experience.

"What do you think," she finally asked.

"During the season I have to be in Chicago, but during the off season I'm free to live where I choose. The season is just beginning so you'd have to do a lot of business from here."

"I have a boutique here," Brooke told him absentmindedly.

"Really," Nathan hadn't realized that she had expanded quite so much.

"I'd have to fly back periodically," she paused, "I can't leave Molly there without me but if I bring her here she'll never be able to leave Ally."

"Same goes," he agreed.

"We'd have to do partial custody for both of them."

Nathan swallowed, that would mean a portion of time without either one of them. It made him sick to his stomach and judging from the look on Brooke's face it didn't sit well with her either.

"Nate," Lila called to him.

"Well," Roger asked as they both sat again.

Brooke licked her lower lip, a telltale sign that she was nervous. She couldn't afford to lose her clientele; Nathan couldn't afford to lose his entire career. The only way that they provided for their children was by working. It was sensible to do this, Brooke thought, and tried desperately to believe it. At least for the sake of their children.


	2. New Beginnings

Their joint press statement was released the next morning: Nathan Scott and Brooke Davis have been in an ongoing relationship for more than ten years. As a result of this relationship they produced twin girls. They will be continuing their relationship and wish for the privacy that has been extended to them throughout the years.

Rachel sat up as Brooke crept through her front door that morning. She was still wearing the same clothes from the day before but she looked haunted.

"What happened," Rachel wanted to know immediately.

Brooke put up one finger as a sign to wait, collected the ice cream from her freezer and handed Rachel a spoon before sitting down beside her, "we decided to live with each other, at least for a few months until this tides over. On Saturday we're going to go over a new custody agreement and then on Sunday we're going to introduce the girls."

"Where are you going to live," Rachel asked in shock.

"Chicago during the season and then we'll probably stay in New York until we can split up again," Brooke told her.

Rachel looked her friend over, she looked sick, "what's going to happen when you split? You know those girls won't be able to be separated again."

Brooke let some of the Butter Pecan melt on her tongue before pouting, "we know. I guess we'll go half a year in Chicago with Nate and then the other half with me in New York."

"I can't believe you're willing to give either of them up for six months," Rachel told her bluntly. She knew her best friend, Brooke cared deeply about her children.

"It'll be hard," she agreed at last and then sniffled harshly, trying to suck back tears.

"Okay," Rachel took a spoonful of ice cream and considered the situation. This would require some help from the peanut gallery, she was sure.

0000

Saturday came too quickly for Brooke. She had been busy getting her New York staff ready for her departure and gearing her Chicago staff for her return. Brooke was fairly confident that her NYC staff would run the headquarters well and she had assured them she would be at all of the CEO meetings at least once a month but more likely every two weeks. On Saturday morning Rachel had driven Brooke and Molly to the airport and promised to ship their clothes and Molly's toys that night. It had been hard to leave Rachel, she had been such an amazing friend since Brooke had moved to New York.

Rachel had hugged her and spoke quietly so Molly couldn't hear her, "I'll be calling, so pick up the phone, bitch."

Brooke had bitten her lower lip to keep her tears in check but could feel her cheeks getting pink, "I love you, whore."  
"Same goes," Rachel had pushed her away, a sign that she was coming too close to being emotional herself.

On the plane Molly had sat in the window seat in awe, "why are we going to Chicago Mommy?"

"Because there's someone I want you to meet," Brooke replied.

Molly had been excited, probably thinking it was Haley or Luke. But as the airplane landed Brooke's heart began to flip around wildly. She couldn't deny that seeing Nathan again had made her remember every detail of their relationship. Including his sexual prowess but this wasn't about them. It was about protecting their girls. It couldn't be about anything else, she wouldn't let it.

After leaving Molly with a baby sitter Nathan had brought with him to the meeting she met the lawyers and him in the office.

"So it seems as if your old agreement was made amicably and since you both seem to want the same things from the new agreement this should be rather easy," the lawyer began.

Brooke fiddled with her thumbs, she hadn't felt this nervous since her first runway show in Paris, "what are the terms?"

"To be honest I don't think these terms will fit either of you," Lila, the older woman from the last meeting spoke up.

"What do you mean," Nathan asked. He had been steadfastly ignoring Brooke, like he couldn't stand to look at her.

Lila sat forward, "if you are anything like Nathan then not having your kids for six months will be impossible. We all agree that you have to be together at least for a few months until the next big story comes out but for both of your states of mind it may be necessary to think of a more permanent arrangement."

"Like what," Brooke was suspicious. Whatever this idea was it was sounding like it may be leading to something she could never do with Nathan again.

"I think you should consider continuing to live in Chicago. From what it sounds like you're capable of running your mini empire from here and once the girls are in a permanent school you won't be able to take them out all the time."

"Live with Nathan," Brooke asked for clarification.

Lila shrugged, "after the allotted time you could just get your own place. But I think for all of your sakes you should consider it."

"Until then," the lawyer took over again, "let's get this limited custody agreement settled."

Nathan and Brooke were both handed copies and after going over all of the minor details and asking a few questions they both signed, it was done.

0000

Nathan walked with Brooke to the office next door where she had left Molly. But before he could open the door Brooke whirled around, "let me introduce you okay? She's shy around strangers."

"I'm her father," Nathan told her.

"Does Ally know who I am," Brooke shot back.

He conceded her point and waited patiently, watching from the window in the door as Brooke walked in. She smiled at the baby sitter and then squatted down to accept their daughter's hug. She whispered quietly and smiled before pointing to Nathan. Molly's blue eyes widened and Nathan felt his heart drop. He had been trying to deny his urge to miss her for so long and suddenly he realized that it had never actually worked.

Finally Brooke motioned for him to come in. He waited until the baby sitter left before he bent down, "hi, Molly."

"You got my Daddy," Molly told her mother in awe.

Brooke nodded, her eyes glazed with tears, "can you say hi, baby?"

Molly considered the request and then without any prompting she threw her arms around Nathan's neck, "where've you been Daddy?"

Nathan's sob was audible as he rose and held his daughter. She was perfect, just as amazing as her sister. He couldn't wait to hold them both. He looked down at Brooke who was still squatting, her hands were covering his face and he could see her shaking. He wondered if it was because it was so obvious that Molly had fallen just as much in love with him as he had with her years before.

"Brooke," he murmured her name finally.

She held up a finger, telling him to wait while she got herself together, "yeah?"

"I want you to meet Ally, let's go," Nathan told her.

Brooke nodded and took a deep breath. She had never expected that her reaction to Molly and Nathan meeting to be so intense. She had expected to cry when she met Ally, but watching him with Molly she knew he had to be amazing with their older daughter. It broke her heart that either of them had missed out on the other.

"Let's go," she finally agreed.

0000

In the forty minute drive to Nathan's house Molly fell asleep which turned out to be a good thing because Brooke wouldn't have wanted her to witness her mother being a complete chicken. She had let Nathan take Molly upstairs through the back. Neither of them wanted the girls to meet until each of them was comfortable with their new parent. She had stood in front of the closed door for a few minutes. He had told her to come in but she hadn't, she couldn't. She hadn't seen Ally since she was three-months old. She had tried to pretend that she was complete with just having Molly but in her heart she had ached everyday for that other little girl.

Brooke was about to turn and go find a good Starbucks so she could reenergize but before she even got to the last step the door opened, "where are you going?"

She turned back, "I was going to go find a coffee shop."

"She's a three-year-old, she won't bite," Nathan teased gently.

"I'm nervous," she admitted.

"I was too," he held out his hand. And for the second time in a week they supported each other. Nathan led her into a room down stairs, "I told her that I was going to introduce her to somebody new."

Before Brooke could run again Nathan swung open the door. Brooke's breath caught in her throat. She was identical to Molly, but Brooke could see some differences that proved that she had given birth to them.

"Hey munchkin," Nathan walked forward and lifted Ally effortlessly.

"Hi," Ally smiled at Brooke and studied her.

"I want you to meet," he paused and drew a strengthening breath, "your Mommy."

Ally's eyes widened the way Molly's had. Nathan was standing close enough to Brooke that Ally could reach out and gently touch her hair, the little girl didn't look at Brooke as she spoke, "you live in New York, but you love me."

"Oh, God," Brooke felt her little touch down to her toes, "I do love you, baby."

"Don't go anymore," she ordered and then launched herself into Brooke's arms.

Brooke huffed out her breaths as she held Ally tightly to her body. Her tears ran down her cheeks swiftly, she kissed her hair and reveled in the feel of her daughter's little arms wrapped around her neck, "I won't. I love you so much Ally."

She looked up and watched as Nathan turned away and wiped at his own tears. This was a very emotional day.

Suddenly there was a very loud cry coming from the small monitor in Nathan's pocket, "Mommy!"  
Brooke gently shifted Ally into Nathan's arms, "I'll be right back, honey."

Ally settled onto Nathan, obviously upset that her mother had left her so soon. But her agitation left her the moment she saw the little girl in Brooke's arms. Molly looked at Nathan, "Daddy I thought you left!"

"Never," Nathan replied instantly.

"Ally," Brooke gently rubbed her cheek and smiled, "your Daddy and I want you to meet your sister, Molly."

"Sister," Ally considered this word and its meaning.

"Can you say hi, Mols," Brooke prompted.

Molly looked around the room, "you have pretty blocks."

"My Daddy bought them," Ally replied.

"I'm her Daddy too, and Brooke is Molly's Mommy too," Nathan explained.

Molly wiggled out from Brooke's arms and looked up at Ally, still comfortably in Nathan's arms, "come down and play!"  
Ally considered this girl that looked like her and felt a weird feeling, a happy feeling. Nathan gently put her on her feet. He smiled and felt like a whiney idiot for wanting to cry again, "we're going to be in the kitchen girls."

"Be good," Brooke murmured to both of them but she was all ready forgotten in the new experience of a playing partner and blocks.

Nathan and Brooke took their seats across from one another. The tension was palpable. Excluding the other day it was the first time they had been alone since the day they signed their divorce papers and Brooke had left for New York. While they had agreed on custody and divorce, because they truly did want the best for their kids, it had been obvious that their reasons for actually separating were still issues.

"How's your mom," Brooke finally asked.

Nathan rose and went about making some coffee, "she's good. She left Dad last year and the drugs. She'd been sober for nine months and has started to work with Karen again."

"Good for her," Brooke told him sincerely. Before junior year Deb had been her adoptive mother. Then Dan had finally broken her and she had begun a habit that had lasted for years.

"She'd love to see both of the girls together," Nathan told her.

Brooke nodded, "I've been trying to set up time to go back to Tree Hill. I wanted Molly to see more of Luke and Hales."

"Me too," he agreed.

They were silent until Nathan set the two cups of coffee at their respective locations. Brooke took a tentative sip and allowed one small smile to slip, "you still can't make coffee worth a damn."

"I suppose you've gotten better at cooking," he questioned teasingly.

"Actually," Brooke sat up a bit straighter, "I took a four week cooking course in Manhattan with my very good friend, Dave, and I'm a lot better."

Nathan's eyes narrowed, "your boyfriend?"  
Brooke's small grin disappeared, it was officially back. The same old distrust and she could sense how fast it could escalade. But now they had a set of active twins that needed their consideration.

"No, a very gay man who's twenty pounds overweight and fabulous," Brooke rose, "I think it's time Molly and I got back to the hotel."

Nathan rose with her and mentally kicked himself for being possessive. Brooke wasn't his woman anymore, but he did know that while they were entertaining this mock relationship she wouldn't be dating all over the city, "I thought you'd stay here tonight."

"I think we've given them enough surprises today, in a few days when they've had hours to get to know each other," Brooke replied.

"Where do you want to meet tomorrow," Nathan wondered.

"I have a meeting with the managerial staff at seven and then a busy day. I assume that I can drop Molly off here and you'll take her to daycare," Brooke asked.

"Yeah," Nathan nodded, "and then you can pick her up here when you're done. My practice ends at four."

"Fair enough," they peaked into the playroom and both of them smiled. They were sleeping, right next to one another. Brooke bent down to lift Molly when Nathan stepped in front of her.

"I'll take her to the car, you shouldn't be carrying thirty-five pounds of dead weight, you're back was never that good," he chastised her.

Brooke walked behind him outside and felt her heart tighten. She didn't want to care that he still worried over her. She didn't want to still think he was the sexiest man alive. She certainly didn't want to entertain the thought of taking a chance and loving him again. But she was doing all three.

0000

Nathan opened his front door groggy the next morning. It was barely five in the morning! Brooke stood on the stoop looking completely ready for the day in her trendy skirt suit and black pumps. Her hair was tied back into a low ponytail and she had a briefcase on one shoulder and Molly's hand in her own.

"Hey, Nate," Brooke gently nudged Molly forward, trying desperately not to look at his naked chest.

Molly looked tired so Nathan bent low and lifted her into his arms, she quickly decided he was comfortable and laid her head on his shoulder, "we'll be okay."

"Her stuffed lion is in her bag along with some extra clothes. As soon as she wakes up again make her go to the bathroom because she won't tell you if she has to go. I also brought her toothbrush, she is to brush her teeth after breakfast."

"Brooke," Nathan smiled sleepily at her, "we'll be okay."

She stopped and took a deep breath, "okay. I guess I'll see you later."

"Oh," Nathan handed her a key, "from now on just bring her in."

"Thanks," Brooke gently rubbed a knuckle on Molly's cheek and winked at her. Molly gave her a tired grin and then she was off.

"Daddy," Molly asked as Nathan walked up stairs.

"Yeah?"

"Do you love me," she asked.

"Every single second of every single day, munchkin," he replied. Without any further questioning he laid her in the bed he had set up for her on the other side of Ally's room. She fell asleep almost instantly.

0000

Seriously, people were ridiculously stupid. All throughout the day if she had said she wanted white they got her black. If she had told them to get their financial records they gave her sales records. She wanted to shoot herself, better yet she wanted her New York staff. The staff that was always on its toes ready to tell her what she wanted to know.

It was six, two hours past the time she liked to leave the office. She let herself into Nathan's house and walked toward the kitchen where she was hearing some very interesting noises.

As she opened the door Nathan laughed out loud at something Molly said. She had her silly face on, she was quite the joker when she wanted to be. Ally was laughing on the other side of Molly, both of them eating their cut up ravioli.

"Hey, Davis," Brooke snapped out of her observations when she heard that nickname. She hadn't been anyone beside Brooke Davis in a very long time.

"Hi," she stepped forward and put her briefcase down on a counter before bending to kiss the heads of both her girls, "how were your days, ladies?"

"Good, I went to a new school," Molly told her with wide, excited eyes.

"Wow," Brooke commented as she took a small piece of Molly's ravioli.

Nathan rose, "you can have some of your own, you don't have to take it from our poor kids."

"No, we should get going," Brooke replied.

"Brooke," he looked her up and down, she was too skinny, "sit down and eat dinner with our daughters."  
She took a deep breath, she hated when he took that tone, but sat. When he put the plate in front of her and handed her a fork she realized she that her stomach was grumbling.

"I went on a slide again and again," Ally told her with massive amounts of excitement.

"That sounds wonderful," Brooke told her. She didn't want to stare but she couldn't help it. She hadn't seen her older daughter in years.

Nathan watched as Brooke interacted with their kids. She was completely engrossed with each of them, listening to them and asking questions. She never seemed to tire from the conversation.

When everyone had finished he rose to collect the dishes but Brooke stopped him, "I'll get them, I know you hate dishes."

"Mommy," Molly's voice sounded as Brooke turned toward the sink.

"Yeah, baby," she asked.

"Can I stay here tonight," Brooke froze. Nathan watched her tense back and was about to tell Molly no when she visibly relaxed.

"Sure, baby, but you still have to take a bath before bed," Brooke reminded her.

"I can do that," Nathan offered quietly.

"Sounds good," she replied without looking at him. She heard him lift both girls and heard their squeals of laughter as he bathed them and felt just the smallest bit of jealousy that Nathan had gained Molly's trust and affection so quickly when Ally was still weary of her. But this was a good thing. Molly had to learn to trust him, better quickly then slowly.

Brooke continued to clean until Nathan came back into the kitchen. He looked around and whistled, "wow, when you do the dishes, you really clean!"  
"I've got to go back to the hotel and pack some of our stuff," Brooke replied as she wiped down the counter, yet again.

"I can go with you," Nathan offered.

"Who would look after the girls," Brooke asked.

"They could come too," Nathan replied.

Brooke shook her head, "I can do it on my own."

Nathan's eyes narrowed. Those words matched with that tone meant something. He hadn't been with Brooke for years without learning a bit about her. She was sad about something and preferred to hide behind a healthy dose of anger.

"No doubt," he agreed and took a seat on one of the stools at the island.

"I can do everything on my own," she continued, "I don't need you, or any other man, to be complete. I'm Brooke Davis for God's sake! I am one of the youngest CEOs of any major fashion chain. My clientele ranges from A-list actresses to lower class people in the South! I am pretty damn impressive."

"I see that," he wondered if she still had a thing for throwing things and began to worry for his safety.

"I don't need to be with anyone or to have anyone. I don't need friends, or a boyfriend, or kids!"

"Now you're lying," Nathan rose and went to her, "what's got you so upset Brooke?"

"I dated a guy once when Molly was about one and a half," Brooke began. At Nathan's dark look she rolled her eyes and continued, "he was a nice guy with seriously no flaws. He came around fairly often so she had time to get used to him. The first time he tried to pick her up, she screamed bloody murder and my neighbor called the cops thinking she was being kidnapped!"

That's my girl, Nathan thought to himself. Brooke sighed and continued, although it was painful to do so, "you've known her for a total of twenty-four hours and she's in love with you. She let you give her a bath! And this morning she let you hold her, she's the grumpiest person I know in the morning!"  
"Isn't that what we wanted," he asked, "for them to get comfortable with us?"

"Yeah," Brooke agreed miserably.

Nathan sat down and waited for her to follow suit before saying very nicely, "Ally has always been shyer. Once she knows you then its fine. Molly happens to be more like you and Ally happens to be more like me."

Brooke nodded and took a deep breath, "I'm being ridiculous."

"No, you're being human. This is a situation that we never thought we'd find ourselves in. All of a sudden we're expected to live together with our kids as if all that shit that went down three years ago never happened. It sucks, it's awkward, but it's important. We have two kids that need us to be mature adults about everything. No matter what happened in the past, it's over. Those kids are the only ones who matter," Nathan told her.

"Okay," she rose, "I'm going to go get our stuff. I'll be back in about an hour."

"Fair enough," he watched her leave and tried to keep his thoughts from drifting backward, toward days passed.


	3. Conspiracy Theory

Sunday had always been a day that Brooke had insisted that no one call her unless the stock market crashed or someone had burnt down one of her boutiques. She liked to have at least one day a week dedicated to Molly. Now that she could actually dedicate it to both girls she was close to ecstatic. She woke up and treaded quietly down the hallway, past Nathan's bedroom door and down to the girls.

She was surprised to find Ally awake, quietly playing with her dolls. Her hair consisted of two very messy pigtails and she was dressed in her light pink zip up pajamas. Molly was still dead to the world and snoring softly.

"Good morning," Brooke spoke quietly.

Ally looked up from her place on the floor with wide eyes, "hi, Mommy."

Brooke squatted beside her, "those are pretty dolls."

"My Daddy bought them," Ally replied then looked over toward Molly, "why are you Molly's Mommy too?"

"Because she's your sister," Brooke hoped that would stop that conversation from progressing. Ally looked her mother over. She still wasn't sure about her, it was obvious. Brooke swallowed, "do you want to see a picture of you and me and Molly?"

"Yeah," Ally was intrigued by this. She didn't remember taking a picture with her mother, much less Molly, her new best friend.

Brooke ran out of the room and came back quickly. She sat beside her daughter and showed her the picture of her and Nathan with their newborn twins in the hospital. Brooke had never thought she looked worse, her hair was a frenzy and she looked tired after close to twenty hours of labor. She pointed to the wrapped bundle in her left arm, "that's you, and that's Molly."

Ally studied the picture with growing pleasure, "why did you go?"

"I didn't want to," Brooke assured her, "I wanted to with you everyday but me and your Daddy had to live in two different cities. We couldn't be together anymore."

"How come now," Ally asked.

Despite the shortened sentence she understood what Ally was asking, "because we both missed you and Molly so much that we decided to try being together again. Me and your Daddy love you both so much that we were willing to do anything to be with the both of you."

"I don't want you to go," Ally told her firmly.

Brooke reached out and gently played with a stray curl on Ally's head and smiled, "I won't, I promise you Ally. Me and Molly will be with you forever now."

"Mommy," Molly's voice croaked from her bed.

"Morning baby," Brooke smiled at her youngest.

Molly stretched and pouted, "can you make pancakes?"

Brooke bent forward and rubbed her nose to Ally, who was quite surprised by this, "that's how Eskimos kiss!"

"Me too," Molly demanded.

Brooke bent forward and did the same for Molly before leaving the room to go down to the kitchen.

0000

Nathan woke to the echo of squeals. He looked around and quite suddenly his bedroom door burst open and there were two three-year-olds climbing onto his bed and right on top of him. He grunted as one of their knees hit his stomach.

"What are you two doing," he asked before wrapping them both into his arms and kissing each of their foreheads.

"We're bringing food," Ally replied and kissed his cheek with a great big smack.

Molly followed suit on the other cheek, "and juice! Mommy said you love apple juice."

"Actually," Nathan looked over to see Brooke in the doorway, "I said you used to love apple juice. They took it from there."

She was only wearing a long tee-shirt but it was enough to create a slow, steady, throb in his brain. He sat up, "what do you have?"

"We made pancakes, the girls all ready ate, and you still weren't awake so they decided to surprise you," Brooke told him and stepped completely into the bedroom. It smelled like him. It was intoxicating and musky, like a good cologne except purely Nathan Scott.

"They decided," he questioned, "are you sure you didn't want to surprise me too?"

Brooke swallowed, she detested flirting with Nathan. It was a mission in torture. If she was going to flirt she was going to make damned sure that it ended with them somewhere without their kids. She collected herself, refusing to rise to the bait, "they decided. Here you go. Blueberry pancakes, apples juice and some scrambled eggs."

Nathan accepted the tray and turned the television on to a cartoon for the girls. As he ate he watched Brooke from the corner of his eye, she was standing stiff with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Hey Davis," he called softly.

She looked at him, obviously surprised by the use of her nickname, "yeah?"

"Do you want to sit," he asked. They both knew what he was really asking: do you want to try again?

She shook her head, "no, Nathan, I don't," and walked out the door.

0000

Life went on and a routine was created after a long month. Monday through Friday Brooke left early for work at the boutique and always strived to be home by their six o'clock dinner. Nathan got up, helped the girls get ready and dropped them off at the daycare. He also picked them up on his way home and made dinner. After cleaning up the kitchen and getting the girls bathed and in pajamas they would all hang out together either playing games, or something else as a family. Saturday and Sunday were Brooke's big days. For a portion of both of those days she would spend time alone with each girl and then she would eat lunch with them. Nathan spent a lot of that time doing press conferences, practice and home games. On the occasional weekdays Nathan would have to go out of town to an away game or Brooke would have to fly back to New York but it was always worked out in advance. All in all they were a perfect little family. Except for the fact that Nathan and Brooke avoided each other like the plague.

It wasn't obvious to the camera people that continually followed them but there was a tension between them. Both of them knew, in the recesses of their minds that they would have to go back. They would really have to talk about it all because their tension was disturbing their kids. Neither of them had even known until one windy day in the very beginning of February.

It had been a typical Friday night except both of the girls had been sniffling, obviously about to come down with full fledged colds. Brooke had gotten them to bed early and had been cleaning the living room.

Nathan had come in late from practice that night. He had been yelled at all day during practice with the rest of the team because the rookies were really trying the coach's nerves. When he got home all he had wanted to do was to take a shower and get some dinner. What he got was an angry Brooke Davis and things small enough to throw.

"Why are you yelling," he asked as he tuned into the conversation, every bone in his body ached.

"Because you're the most irresponsible person on God's green Earth! You didn't tell me you'd be late so no one was there to pick up the girls. Imagine my surprise when I got a phone call from the daycare telling me someone had to pick them up."

Nathan squinted in guilt. He had completely forgotten, he felt bad but inside he knew it would be the first and last time it happened. He was about to tell her so but when he heard her next words his blood boiled, "and if you are seeing another one of the sleazy tramps you cheated on me with then I will kick her ass and yours."

"I can't believe you," Nathan told her through clenched teeth, "I never cheated on you! You on the other hand, Miss-I'll-go-out-with-who-I-want-when-I-want, never could set your priorities right. This isn't about you. How can you still be so selfish?"

"I'm selfish," she poked his chest in agitation, "you're the selfish one. I would never have gone out to that club, with my friend, if I didn't think you'd be there with your fake blonde bimbo!"

"That fake blonde bimbo was your best friend," Nathan reminded her.

"Up until the day you fucked her," Brooke reminded him.

Nathan grabbed her finger, "I never fucked her! You on the other hand went around sleeping with your _friend_ and left our kids at home with my mother of all people!"

"She had been sober," Brooke argued, "and Chris really was just a friend."

"She'd only been sober for six months, you knew how often she relapsed," Nathan shot back.

"That is not fair! I thought that time would be different and it was only for a few hours. You on the other hand, I watched you kiss her, Nathan."

"And I saw the pictures of you going back to a hotel room with him," Nathan reminded her.

"You saw me helping my drunk friend get back to his hotel room and imagined everything else from there! You were looking for a reason to prove Dan right," Brooke tried to retrieve her finger but he held tight.

Nathan bent down so they were face to face, "you were looking for a reason to prove your parents right so you could run back to them and finally get a little of their attention."

Brooke gasped and slapped him as hard as she could. He kept his face to the side for a long moment. Before either of them could react again there was one very loud sniffle, followed closely by another.

Both of them turned and saw their daughters on the steps, in their cute little footsie pajamas, crying. Nathan released Brooke's finger and she quietly walked toward them. Nathan followed, "what are you guys doing down here?"

"You yelled," Ally accused him.

"It's not nice to hit," Molly reminded her mother.

"I know," Brooke nodded, a pout on her face as well, "I'm sorry Nathan."

"Me too," he agreed.

"Did it hurt," Ally asked.

Nathan nodded, Brooke did always have one hell of a bitch slap. Molly rubbed his cheek when he bent low enough for her to reach, "when I get hurt Mommy kisses the pain away."

"Mols," Brooke began but Nathan stood up.

"Make it better," Nathan challenged her.

Brooke looked into his eyes, the eyes he'd given their daughters, "I can't."

"Yes you can Mommy," Ally told her.

Nathan bent a bit and whispered, "kiss the pain away."

"It's never helped before," she whispered back but gently kissed his cheek. She felt his jaw ticking, he was still very angry, but he smelled amazing. She almost wanted to go on a scavenger hunt to find his lips.

Nathan turned his head and captured her lips with his and in that moment they were back in college. After the Southern conference and life was perfect. His last college game and the night they conceived the twins.

Brooke moaned against his lips and didn't feel her arms winding around his neck or his hands holding her hips. For one perfect moment she was that girl who couldn't see anything else except the promise of the future with the man of her dreams.

"Wow, Daddy must feel much better," Molly told Ally.

Nathan and Brooke broke apart and stared each other down. Nathan quickly put his hand over his loose sweat pants and Brooke had her fingers on her lips as if in shock. Their electricity was palpable.

"Come on," Nathan finally told the girls, "let's get you back in bed."

"Can I lay in your bed," Molly asked.

"Me too," Ally agreed.

Nathan lifted them both, "of course."

"Mommy too," Molly whined and sniffled.

Nathan looked down at her and motioned with his head, "let's go Davis."

Brooke climbed the stairs after them and when they laid together on the bed, their girls between them, she held his hand and whispered, "this can't ever happen again."

"I know," he agreed. And for that night they were assured in their mutual love for the best thing they had ever done together, their kids.

0000

Nathan woke up to his shower running. He looked around and realized that neither Brooke nor the kids were in bed anymore. He opened the door and immediately felt steam surround him.

"Close the door, Nate," Brooke told him.

After his eyes adjusted he realized that Brooke was sitting in between the toilet and bathtub, both girls on either side of her leaning their heads on her. It was so hot that her long white tee-shirt was wet and clinging to her. All of their hair was wet and sticking to their faces although both girls were in their underwear.

"What happened," he squatted in front of them.

"Molly couldn't breathe very well and once I had her in here Ally started to cough. I'm surprised you didn't hear her," Brooke replied.

Nathan gently rubbed Ally's cheek, "I had a bad practice today."

"I'm sorry," he knew, just from the way her right dimple sunk in, that she felt guilty about their earlier fight.

"Here," he rose and lifted Ally and Molly into his arms, taking care that they were settled on his shoulders before beginning to move, "let's get them into bed."

Brooke followed him into their room and helped to get them dressed and situated before turning on the Vicks ventilator and gently closing their door. Brooke turned to tell Nathan what a good father he was but was surprised when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

In the course of watching Brooke making their kids comfortable, still wearing her damp white tee-shirt he'd gotten the hard on of his life. He pushed her gently to the wall and cupped her breasts. Her nipples hardened in his hands and he felt his cock fill with blood. There was nothing that he wanted to do more then to wrap her legs around his hips and plow into her until she admitted every sin and forgave him for the one kiss that should never have happened. The kiss that had literally been a mistake.

But those weren't reasons to sleep with Brooke again. Those were reasons that would just upset the balance they were striving to create in their kids' lives. He pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers, "we have to talk this out Brooke."

"What we need to do is not let this happen again," she replied after what seemed like hours.

"Ignoring it will only lead to more arguments," couldn't she see that it was time to face all the hard shit and finally get back to good?

"Nate," she put a hand firmly on his chest, her eyes filling, "it hurts too much."

He let her go because he knew what a concession that was for her to make. Brooke Davis did not air her pain to the world, but it wasn't over. He had to find a way to get them back to good, whether or not it ended with them together. He could be honest with himself, he didn't expect to ever fall out of love with her. There had been times he had hated her, been irritated with her and wanted to throttle her but there had never been a time that he didn't love her. She had given him two gorgeous daughters and years of happiness. Nathan wasn't convinced that they couldn't make it work this time around.

Brooke stopped at her bedroom door and looked at him again, "I want to take the girls to Tree Hill."

Nathan nodded, that would be the perfect opportunity to test his theory.

0000

Rachel hung up the phone with Brooke and settled back on her white leather sofa. As expected she and Nathan hadn't been able to stay too far apart from one another. Honestly it wasn't a surprise to Rachel that Brooke was starting to think about getting her own place sooner then expected. Brooke had a natural reaction to run away when things got to tough on a personal level. If someone was threatening someone she loved then she'd fight until the death, but if it had to do with her own emotions she would run to Alaska before confronting it.

She dialed the familiar number as she sipped her wine, "hey, Haley, it's Rachel."

"Hey, Rach, how's the situation going? The last time I talked to either of them it was tense," Haley told her.

Rachel smiled and relayed Brooke's story to Haley, as Haley chuckled Rachel grinned, "Apparently they're going to come down while Nathan has some games down there. I agreed to meet them so I think I'll come down early and we can set things up."

"Interesting," Haley sighed, "I hope we can help them. They have to get together again, there's nobody else for either of them."

"I know," Rachel agreed. One way or another she'd help her friends, with the help of their old friends. If it could happen anywhere it would be in Tree Hill, North Carolina.


	4. One Tree Hill

Nathan watched Brooke out of the corner of his eyes as they rode the team's jet with the other players and some of their families. Molly was sound asleep, curled in his arms, and Ally was beside Brooke, her head in his Brooke's lap. Sometimes when he saw all three of them together, saw Brooke being the best mother he'd ever met, he felt his heart skip a beat. There had been a brief moment in their lives when they had both believed that everything was going to be okay. They had both wanted their kids to have the stability they had so desperately craved with both parents.

"Hey, man, that is one cute kid," Nathan's friend and teammate, Chris Duhon, who had also graduated from Duke a few years before Nathan, told him.

"I know, it's crazy that there are two of them," Nathan replied.

"Tell me about it, my sisters still scare me," Chris laughed and sat back beside his wife.

Nathan played with one of Molly's stray curls and thought about what he was going to do when they arrived to Tree Hill. He and Brooke had agreed to stay with Luke and Haley and if memory served him of his last visit they only had two guest rooms. He grinned to himself, this was going to be an interesting few days.

0000

Brooke was holding Molly and Ally's hands as they walked beside Nathan toward the rental car. He was busy making sure all of their luggage was secure on the small cart. Honestly Brooke didn't understand why they didn't make those things bigger.

"Did we really need all this luggage," Nathan asked as he began to pile the suitcases in the trunk.

Brooke strapped Molly into the booster seat and then Ally before responding, "yes, we did. Did you want the first time everyone saw me and got to hang out with me to be in the same clothes four days in a row?"

"What does it matter," Nathan asked her, watching her to see her reaction.

She looked vaguely disappointed before replying, "it doesn't. Next time I'll minimize the luggage."

"You wanna drive," Nathan asked.

"No, go ahead, it's been a long time since I've been in Carolina and this airport is new."

Nathan got into the driver's side of the spacious SUV and looked behind him at the girls. They were sitting up with bright excited eyes, "you two munchkins okay?"

"I'm good," Ally replied with a grin.

Molly nodded then bit her bottom lip, "I have to use the potty."

Brooke rolled her eyes from the front seat, why did she bother to ask her before she strapped her in, "okay, baby girl."

"I'll go," Nathan replied, "just rest."

She watched Nathan carry Molly into the airport and smiled. He was a good dad, and maybe if she tried hard he could be a good friend.

0000

Nathan, Brooke and the girls arrived at Luke and Haley's house two hours late. Everything that could go wrong, had gone wrong. Twenty minutes into the trip Ally had to go to the bathroom. Forty minutes later a tire popped and it took Nathan fifteen minutes to fix it. They finally made it into Tree Hill in time for Brooke to chuckle nervously because she had forgotten to refill the gas tank and they were out.

Brooke got out of the passenger seat and smiled when Haley walked onto her porch, a grin on her face. She hadn't changed since the four months since she'd seen her. Same long blonde hair, same huge grin, the only change was that her flat stomach had increased tenfold.

"Hey," Haley moved down the stairs and held Brooke close as Nathan got the girls out.

"Hales," Brooke pulled back and put her hands on Haley's pregnant belly, "you're pregnant!"

"You knew that the last time I went to New York," Haley laughed.

Suddenly a car skidded to a halt behind the SUV and Lucas popped out. He ran to Brooke, lifted her, spun her and kissed her cheek, "hey, Davis."

"Lucas," Brooke laughed. He put her down and grabbed Ally and hugged her.

"Uncle Lucas," both girls squealed in absolute adoration.

Luke moved toward Nathan and kissed Molly's cheek, "how are you two gorgeous ladies doing?"

"Hey, bro," Nathan grinned at his brother.

"Come in," Haley motioned. When they were all inside of her house she turned and cupped Molly's cheek, "honey, look at you! And Ally, you're so big!"  
"Sorry I'm late," Rachel rushed in and immediately ran into Lucas, "sorry!"

"Rach," Brooke hugged her friend. Just being in everyone's presence made her feel amazing. She was certain that the next few days would go far too quickly.

"Let me see," Rachel moved toward Luke, knowing that he was holding Ally, "hey there short stuff, I'm Rachel."

"Auntie Rachel," Molly wiggled out of Nathan's arms and jumped around Rachel. Rachel lifted her, "where've you been, Auntie Rachel?"

"Where've you been," Rachel kissed Molly's forehead and gazed at Ally again.

Ally seemed to accept Rachel because Molly was obviously comfortable around her. Brooke sighed, "do you guys mind if I hit the shower, I'm a mess."

"The hot water pipe burst," Nathan explained.

"Before I could take my shower," Brooke glared at Nathan, "just drop the stuff in my room."

When Brooke was upstairs, obviously entrusting her kids with the group of adults she considered family Nathan set both girls up on the couch and turned, "does anybody have a plan?"

Haley rubbed her stomach and glanced at Rachel, "not really, just some preliminary ideas. It's going to take a lot to make her talk it out."

"We've got time and you've got a room that you'll be sharing with her," Rachel winked.

Lucas took a seat on a stool at the island in the kitchen, they had moved to the kitchen so the girls could watch tv, "what about practice and the game?"

"No worries, big brother, I'll be focused when I whoop your ass," Nathan told him.

"You wish, little brother," Luke replied. It was rather interesting that they played on two separate professional basketball teams considering they'd played on the same teams since they were young.

Haley stifled a small gasp and rubbed the side of her belly, "your nephew has been jumping around ever since you got here!"  
Nathan put his hands on her stomach, remembering how he had spent hours with his lips to Brooke's belly button talking quietly to their babies, "I can't believe you're pregnant."

"Why not, we started dating a year after you and Brooke," Haley reminded him.

"Yeah, but I always figured that sleaze ball would make an honest woman of you first," Nathan told her.

Luke scowled, "we'll get married when we're good and ready."

Haley's look told Nathan that she'd been good and ready for a long time. Nathan made a mental note to investigate this further, but after he figured out this shit with Brooke. He conceded to himself that it might be a long time before he would.

0000

Brooke sat on the bed in the guest bedroom and gently smoothed her favorite body balm into her skin. Ever since she'd been pregnant she had ridiculously dry skin. The balm coated her skin, leaving her smooth and had a scent that mingled well with her perfume of choice.

"Hey Davis," Nathan entered the room and Brooke nearly jumped out her towel and her skin.

She covered herself with her bathrobe again, being naked with Nathan Scott would not turn out well, "what are you doing in here? Where are the girls?"

"They're with Haley helping her make cookies. And I'm in here because I have to change for tonight's practice," Nathan replied. He went to his duffle bag and unzipped it.

"Nathan," Brooke put her hand over his to stop him, "why are you changing in here?"

"Because," he turned his hand so his fingers partially intertwined with hers, "Haley and Luke only have two guest bedrooms. Since the girls are loathed to be separated, I figured we'd have to deal with it and share."

"What about the couch," Brooke asked, her serious expression on.

"If you really want to you can sleep out there but I can't afford to play a bad game because I had to sleep on the old piece of wood and fabric that they call a couch. I love them, I really do, but Haley is a pack rat and needs help in exorcizing her old furniture."

Brooke sat back, pulling her fingers from his, "I could sleep with the girls."

"Listen," Nate took a seat beside her, "we are two adults Brooke. We are capable of handling a few nights in the same bed. What's the worst that could happen?"

She shrugged, but she knew deep inside that the worst thing that could happen could also be the easiest. She couldn't give her heart back to Nathan, she'd never survive the pain of him breaking it again.

0000

Rachel, Brooke and Haley were sitting around the island that night. Both of the boys were at practice and the girls were all ready fast asleep after a day of too much excitement. Haley and Rachel considered this prime time to help nudge Brooke toward talking out her feelings and forgiving Nathan.

"So," Rachel swished her wine around in her glass, "you two shared a bed?"

"For one night and there were two three-year-olds in between us," Brooke replied.

Haley grinned saucily, "never stopped you before."

"Hey," Brooke teasingly slapped her arm, "it had been two months and they were both sleeping in their bassinets. Besides, they were barely two months old, they wouldn't remember anyway."

"That was the last time you had sex with him wasn't it," Rachel asked.

Brooke sighed and then took a small sip of her wine, "the very last. The next weekend I saw him kiss _her_ and he was convinced he saw me about to engage in some crazy sex with Chris, of all people. It was barely a month later when we signed the papers and that very night I was on your door step, Rach."

"B," Rachel rubbed her friend's back for a moment, "how much longer are you going to let that stupidity ruin your relationship?"

"What relationship," Brooke wondered, "the only relationship we have is through our girls. Nathan is an amazing father, everything I wish mine had been. And I am damned sure better then my mother. Together we do one thing right and that's raising our kids. When we try and do anything else together it just turns out badly."

Haley looked Rachel in the eyes, communicating the way friends could when it mattered, "Brooke, I think you need to give him another chance. Before you yell at me, I want you to listen to me. Neither of you entertain the idea that there is anyone else for you. You're both very aware of the people that helped to tear you apart. Are you really going to let Dan and Peyton be the reasons that you never find love with him again?"

"He will never trust me," Brooke told her quietly, "I didn't do anything wrong, Haley. I went to a club, I helped my drunk friend home and tucked him in with a puke bucket nearby. I didn't do anything wrong but he will never believe me. If he loved me so fucking much then why won't he believe me?"

"He told you that the kiss with Peyton was a mistake, that he hadn't planned on it and that he hadn't wanted it. You have never believed him," Rachel pointed out in her normal blunt manner.

"Because you didn't see it," Brooke told her with a calm certainty, "I pray that the day will never come when either of you see the love of your life sharing the kind of kiss I saw with your best friend."

"Okay," Haley soothed her gently.

"It's not okay," she disagreed, "it will never ever be okay. I can't talk about this anymore."

Haley rose and wrapped an arm around her, "okay. We'll let it go. Just think about what we said. Why don't you get to sleep, it's been a long day."

Brooke nodded, kissed both of their cheeks and made the silent journey to her room to lie awake in her cold bed.

0000

Brooke rose her head, she was awakened by the sound of a creak. She looked over the mass beside her and realized it was Nathan. He was the only person in the world who could join her in a bed and she wouldn't snap up, alert and ready for whatever may come. He snored softly and shifted in his sleep so his back was to her.

Her eyes adjusted and she realized that Ally was standing in the doorway, "what's up, baby?"  
Ally walked forward and went to Brooke's side of the bed, "can I sleep with you and Daddy?"

"What's wrong, is the room too cold," Brooke asked and stifled a yawn.

"No, I miss my bed," Ally replied.

Brooke lifted Ally into the bed and snuggled her between herself and Nathan. Nathan turned to them, his eyes opening slowly. Ally wiggled so she was lying on her father's naked chest. Brooke was reminded of a time when Nathan had held both of their newborns on his chest as all three of them slept.

"Get some sleep Davis," his voice was thick with sleep.

Ally stuck her thumb in her mouth and within moments was sleeping soundly. Nathan pulled the blankets up and moved so that his back was to the door, it was a protective gesture. Brooke smoothed their daughter's hair and fell asleep within moments.

The next time she woke up it was to Molly tapping her nose. Brooke opened her eyes and focused, "what's going on?"

"I want to be in too," Molly told her anxiously.

"Come on," Brooke felt Nathan bend over her and lift Molly onto the bed. She felt Ally curled into her back and just knew that this time Nathan had Molly curled onto his chest, cuddling her and protecting her. She fell asleep instantly this time.

0000

What could have been termed as a scene of familial bliss could only be called chaos the next morning. Nathan woke up to the bright North Carolina sun, Ally's warm little body curled into his side, Brooke snuggly behind her and Molly snoring softly laying on his chest, her head of curls in his face. His heart beat strong and warm. This was why he existed, for these moments.

"Morning," Brooke murmured.

Nathan looked at her, he could tell by the way she struggled to focus that she had just woken up. He had always loved Brooke in the morning; the clear face, messy hair and if he was lucky her shirt would have ridden up in the night.

"Hey," Nathan wrapped his arm around Molly and pulled the covers up so she would be warm.

Brooke began to toy with a curl on Ally's head, "they're pretty gorgeous."

"The best of both of us," he agreed.

"The best thing we ever did together," Brooke substituted.

Nathan opened his mouth to reply when the door opened. Luke popped his head in and grinned, "hey Scott family, are you guys ready to get up and join the gang for some breakfast?"

"What time," Nathan asked at the same moment Brooke told Luke, "I'm not a Scott."

He shrugged, "neither is Haley, but both of you might as well be. In about an hour, that should give you guys enough time to get the girls ready."

Before Brooke could respond he closed the door behind himself. Nathan used his free hand to rub the spot on Brooke's cheek where he knew her dimple would be, "you've got first dibs on the bathroom."

"Nathan," her eyes told him more then she did. She wasn't ready, they had progressed somehow in some way but she wasn't ready.

He groaned and gently deposited Molly beside her sister. When he rose Brooke saw his erection straining against his boxers, he pushed it down, "on second thought, I have dibs."


	5. Complications and Revelations

As Nathan showered Brooke helped the girls get dressed

As Nathan showered Brooke helped the girls get dressed. She didn't want to think about him like she was. She wanted to see her children's father, not a man, certainly not a sexy man who she knew for a fact could blow her mind to high heaven.

"Mommy you look sad," Ally told her as she wiggled into her underwear.

Brooke smoothed her hair and smiled, "I'm not sad. How could I be sad with my two girls here with me?"

"You couldn't be," Molly smiled, she knew this game.

"Exactly," Brooke waited for Molly to wiggle into her underwear too and then proceeded to get them into their shirts, pink for Molly and yellow for Ally. As she helped them she spoke, "you know I love you both very much. You two are the lights of my life. Without you two I'd be lost!"

"Lost where," Ally asked.

"I don't know, that's why it's called being lost," Brooke explained.

"Hey," all three girls turned to the bathroom. Nathan walked out in his boxers and his undershirt, "your turn. I'll finish them up."

Brooke nodded and closed her mouth to stem off the drool. God, she loved professional athletes!

Nathan looked down and smiled at his girls. He helped Molly step into her overalls and let her pin it, "you're doing a good job Mols."

"Thank you Daddy," she grinned at him and looked at Ally as if to say she was a professional this morning.

Ally followed suit and Nathan complimented her. Ally grinned conspiratorially at Molly, a look that reminded Nathan painfully of Brooke, "Daddy, what are we going to do today?"

"We're going to see your Grandma Deb. She's been waiting for a long time to see the two of you together," he replied, weary of his little girls.

"Can we get ice cream," Molly asked.

"For breakfast," Nathan caught both girls up and kissed their soft cheeks, "I don't think Mommy would agree with that."

"Probably not," Nathan smiled over at Haley, who was propped in the doorway.

"What's up, little sister," Nathan kissed her cheek and then allowed the girls to bend forward in his strong arms to do the same.

"Just checking on you guys," Haley smiled sweetly at the twin, "would you like to come down and help me make pancakes?"

"Yeah," Ally agreed right away and squirmed to be released.

Nathan put them both down and grinned as Molly followed behind Ally and Haley saying, "I'll watch!"

Soon after the girls went down stairs Nathan pulled on some jeans and was about to gather a shirt up when the bathroom door opened and he spotted Brooke. He sighed in consternation wondering if there would ever be a day when he didn't react visibly to her.

"Where're the girls," she wondered, her hair sticking to her face and shoulders and her cheeks rosy from the steam.

"In the kitchen," he replied with a shrug. He moved toward the dresser to get extra clothes for the girls out but was stopped when she put a hand on his arm.

"I don't mean to," she waved her hand in the general direction of his package.

He almost grinned but thought better of it, "neither of us can help it."

"What do you mean," she asked.

Nathan moved close, so close that Brooke could feel his breath on his lips, "let's not pretend that you weren't soaking your underwear, Davis."

She gulped visibly, "Nathan!"

"I bet if I were to go into the laundry basket and pick those pretty pink underwear they'd be slippery," he continued and breathed heavily upon her lips.

"Nate," she was staring at his lips, entranced.

"If I kissed you right now you would put your arms around my neck and press your pelvis to mine and do the little squirming thing you do when everything just feels too good," he went on. He moved forward and grabbed her hips to pull them tightly to him.

Brooke's mouth opened and against her own thoughts she squirmed and he bent his head and finally took her lips. Nathan Scott on a mission to seduce was a force to be reckoned with, a force far too strong for Brooke to fight.

Her arms curled around his neck and he lifted her. Their kiss was so remarkable that she couldn't seem to stop herself from moving against him, eager to continue.

"Does Daddy have an ouchie again," Molly asked from the doorway.

The adults broke away and Ally lifted one eyebrow that looked a lot like the way her mother sported her own skeptical brow, "I bet he feels better!"  
Brooke grinned at the girls tightly, "Molly haven't we discussed knocking on doors?"

Molly nodded eagerly, "yes! You said that we have to knock because Auntie Rachel-"

"Mols," Brooke shook her head and steadily ignored Nathan's laughter. He didn't seem to mind that their girls were probably going to get the wrong idea and assume they were like other mommies and daddies.

"Come on ladies," Nathan lifted them into his arms, "let's give Mommy some time to change."

"We made pancakes," Brooke heard Ally say as the door shut behind them. She sighed and resolved herself to take another shower because Nathan had been right. The underwear she was wearing were indeed wet.

0000

"Oh my goodness," Deb Scott walked onto the patio of her house and was immediately hugged by her identical and enthusiastic grandchildren.

"Hi, Grammie Deb," Molly kissed her cheek.

Ally held tight to her grandmother's leg in adoration, "did you miss us, Grammie?"

"Of course," Deb's light blue eyes met her son's face and in that instant she knew, as mothers do, that things would be okay. For years she had wondered if her ex-husband's brutality had actually ruined their son's life forever. It appeared that he might have a chance to pick up the pieces and get back the best thing that had ever happened to him. She smiled at her, "Brookie."

"Deb," in that one strangled sound Brooke made her way over to her and wrapped her arms around her, "I've missed you!"

Deb smiled into Brooke's hair, "I've missed you too, honey. More than I could ever explain."

"You look great," Brooke pulled back slightly with tears in her eyes as she looked her self professed mother over.

Deb smiled around her at the girls and Nathan, "they are gorgeous and you look lovelier than ever."

"What am I, chopped liver," Nathan asked with a dramatic arch of one eyebrow.

"My boy," Deb pulled Nathan into her arms next, "you look so much happier."

"That's because last time I saw you Ally was up all night puking because she had the flu and I had two double headers," Nate explained but kissed his mother's brow. Since the divorce she had flourished again and with the help of Luke's mom, her best friend, she had become the Deb Scott that everyone had known before.

"Nope," she smiled and took his hand so she could lead them all inside, "it's definitely internal."

"I hope it's not a virus," Brooke took her shot as she followed them in, the girls in front of her.

Deb didn't even bat a lash, "and you seem to be glowing too, Brooke. You're not pregnant again, are you?"  
Brooke stopped and her mouth dropped open in shock. Oh, Deb was good. She knew just what to say to shock Brooke into silence. Nathan turned and stuck his tongue out good-naturedly.

As Brooke followed Ally looked up, "Mommy what's pregnant?"

"Never you mind," Brooke replied as she burned a hole through Nathan's back.

0000

They spent most of their afternoon with Deb. When the girls fell asleep, an hour after their normal nap time, Brooke was going to bring them up stairs but Nathan staunchly refused.

"You're not going to carry anyone's dead weight up any stairs. You've had back problems ever since that stunt you pulled sophomore year of college," he reminded her and lifted both girls.

Brooke watched him leave the room and then turned back to Deb, "how have you really been?"

Deb put her hand over Brooke's, "amazing! I'm clean and I'm working. And now that I know my boy is being taken care of my worries are receding. But you tell me about everything. How are the girls enjoying each other? And how exactly is this deal or whatever working?"

"Well we're going to live together for a few more months and then have an 'amicable' split. The girls will spend half the year with Nate and half with me, Chicago and New York. Well at least that's the plan for now, we're thinking of doing a crazy city switching thing. I'll stay in Chicago in my own place and then when the season is over we'll head to New York. Obviously he'll have his own place."

"What about when the girls are in actual school," Deb asked.

Brooke shrugged, "we still have time to figure that out. We would never displace them so it might mean that Nathan or I will have to commute. Thank God we've both finally got the funds for it."

"That's still impractical though, babe."

After a moment Brooke nodded and looked into her coffee cup, she could never hide a damned thing from Deb, "I know."

"You're still in love with him."

"I know," Brooke couldn't think of anything else to say. It didn't change anything, it didn't create a strong bond of trust, the trust they both so sorely needed.

Deb rubbed Brooke's cheek, "you have to be strong and face it, if not for you then for your perfect little girls."

"I know," and she did know. Haley, Rachel and Deb were all right. She would have to face it but she was scared. The thought of being vulnerable again scared the hell out of her.

"What's going on," Nathan asked as he walked into the kitchen again.

"Are they down for the count," Brooke asked.

Nate nodded but looked at her worriedly, "are you tired too? You can run up there and catch a nap with them."

"I'm fine," Brooke replied.

"I however," Deb yawned, "could use that nap. I'll be back down in an hour and if the girls need anything I'll cover it."

Nathan watched his mother leave and then smiled, "ever the matchmaker."

Brooke nodded, "wanna take a walk?"

"The old pond," was his quick reply.

She nodded and rose, if there was ever a place to have this conversation it was at the old pond.

0000

Old Millbrook Pond was famous for a few reasons. The biggest was because lovers either came there to reaffirm their love, which usually led to a quick marriage followed by a quicker birth, or because lovers ended their lives together. That day Brooke didn't have a clue why she agreed to go there. Something's were just too hard.

Nathan stood by the bank and skipped rocks for a time before he spoke, "do you remember the last time we were here?"

Brooke rubbed her hands up and down her arms, the memories came back like a cold wind. The way he had tasted that day, still sweaty from basketball but with a faint scent of Old Spice. He had whispered the sweetest words into her ear as he had moved inside of her, and not just in her body but in her soul. He had looked down at her, their eyes had locked, and he had made love to her over and over. Did she remember that day? The question was how could she ever forget it.

"Yeah," she shrugged.

"Just a shrug," he questioned, he had never turned to see her shrug yet he knew that she had, "that's all that day meant?"

"You know what it meant Nathan," she replied.

"We were so in love back then," he told her.

"Then you stopped trusting me."

"Then you gave me reason to," he argued.

"I never did a damned thing with him. You kissed my best friend Nathan. The girl that had hung out with us since the first day. The girl that you knew I considered my sister. How could you betray me like that?"

Nathan turned, "you left our babies with my mother, who I love, but who was not in good shape. You left them to bring your broke ass friend to a hotel to spite me and stayed there for over two hours!"

"You let your father dictate how you would react. I had never cheated on you before why would I start a marriage, two babies and hundreds of stretch marks later? You knew that he thought you were ruining your career by marrying me. He was disappointed in you so you made me the bad guy!"  
"That is bull shit," he argued.

"Either way," Brooke stepped forward in her anger, "you kissed her!"  
"I never kissed her! She kissed me and I pushed her away," he argued.

"I watched you Nate," to her horror her voice got shakey, "I watched you kiss her back."

He grasped her arms tightly, "I never wanted her, I never loved her, and I sure as fuck never screwed her. I was hurting because you I knew I was holding you back. I was hurting because I knew that you slept with him."

"I never slept with him," Brooke repeated, "if you believe nothing that I have ever said believe that from the first moment I saw you the only person that I've been with is you!"

His eyes widened, "really? Not in the entire three years?"

"Not since the first day I spotted you across the quad and knew that we would be together," she told him sincerely.

"You still love me," he told her.

"Nathan! Brooke," his mother's voice was Brooke's saving grace. She wouldn't have to lie to him and she wouldn't have to wear her heart out on her sleeve. She released a deep breath.

Before her voice got closer Nathan pulled her close and kissed her, "we will finish this. Over here mom!"  
He let her go gently but kept one hand on her lower back as they walked toward his mother. The girls were skipping behind her and both of them had to stop and recognize that regardless of their past they had created two beautiful daughters that needed them desperately.


	6. A Brick Wall

Brooke smiled at her girls as they bounced around in front of her, eager for the basketball game to begin

Brooke smiled at her girls as they bounced around in front of her, eager for the basketball game to begin. None of the players were out yet but the crowd was roaring.

"I don't know who to cheer for," Haley's voice snapped Brooke's attention back.

Brooke smiled at Haley, dressed in informal clothing with her long hair down and her pregnant belly huge she looked every inch the fertility goddess. But despite her obvious vibrancy she still seemed sad. Brooke made a mental note to question Haley about what was going on between her and Lucas.

"I'll cheer for Lucas and you can cheer for Nathan," Brooke told her with a conspirator wink.

"Mommy," Ally snuggled up onto Brooke's lap, "when is Daddy coming out?"

"Soon, baby girl," Brooke used her free hand to wrap around Molly's waist and pull her to her side. Within a few more moments Nathan's team was jogging out and beginning to shoot preliminary baskets.

"Daddy," Molly and Ally clapped excitedly.

Nathan nodded over, smiling at his girls, before catching the ball passed to him and making a perfect shot. As he ran to the back of the line he pointed to Brooke which made her heart tumble.

"It has been a very long time since I've seen Nathan Scott do that," Haley murmured.

Brooke nodded in agreement. Brooke had been a cheerleader for his teams throughout high school and college and when they had begun to date Nathan had a habit of running backward and pointing to her as he went on defense after a good shot. It was his way of saying she was the reason he was good, she was his everything.

"He is sexy," Haley added.

Brooke nodded again and when Molly opened her mouth to ask the inevitable question Brooke kissed her then pointed out Lucas' team.

"Uncle Lucas," the girls screamed.

Luke smiled and mouthed a very short word to Haley. Haley nodded and Brooke smiled this time, "what was that?"

Haley blushed to the roots of her hair, "nothing!"

"Come on, I got the point, what did you get?"

"He was speaking Latin," Haley explained.

"Which is so like him, after he took that course he would speak half English, half Latin for months," Brooke recalled.

Haley smiled, "he said that I was his special person."

"His _special_ person? I think I'm confused. Molly sit still and watch Uncle Lucas!"

"That's his little thing," Haley was still beet red.

"He calls you his special person. He makes you sound like a third grader with a learning disability," Brooke huffed.

Haley couldn't help it, she laughed out loud, "Brooke that is horrible!"

"I know, but honestly Hales who calls the woman he's been with for years his _special_ person? What is going on?"

"Nothing that I care to discuss at a basketball game or in front of my adorable god children," Haley returned.

Brooke let it go but was determined to figure out what was going on with them.

0000

"Daddy," Nathan lifted both of his girls into his arms outside of his locker room and kissed each of them before smiling at Brooke.

"How'd I do," he asked.

Brooke shrugged uncommitted, staring off toward the floor before meeting his eyes, "kind of weak the fourth quarter."

Nathan laughed before stepping forward and kissing her mouth quickly. At her look of surprised outrage he just dropped the girls down to their feet, "ready for some grub, munchkins?"

"I want MacDonalds," Ally told him.

"I want Burger King," Molly argued.

"What do you want, Brooke," Nathan asked, his voice huskier than usual.

Brooke couldn't look away from his blue eyed trance. Nathan got under her skin and whether she liked it or not, she couldn't stop it. He'd always been able to see her, no matter how hard she had tried to hide.

"Trust," she finally replied, her voice barely a whisper.

Nathan nodded, "we'll get it back."

She shook her head and smiled down sadly at their daughters, who were very confused by the change of the conversation, "I don't think so."

He just smiled and took her hand so he could kiss her palm very softly, "I do."

0000

"Okay, spill," Brooke cornered Haley in the kitchen late that night while Haley was searching for a midnight fix.

Haley jumped around and put one hand on her stomach cautiously, "you almost scared me to death! What are you doing down here at this hour?"

"I heard you leave your room and knew that this might be my only chance to corner you without the girls or the boys. Now," Brooke sat at one of the bar stools, "spill!"

"I don't think he wants the baby," Haley sat as she said the words. For a long time the words had been in her head but she had been too afraid to voice them. She had never been able to lie to Brooke and now, this night, was no different.

"Oh God, Hales," Brooke slumped in her chair. This was one hell of a situation, "are you sure?"

"I didn't find out I was pregnant until I was about nine weeks into it," Brooke nodded because Haley wasn't telling her anything new, "I told Lucas around twelve weeks. We haven't had sex since I told him, it's been months."

Brooke's mouth dropped open, "you haven't had sex in three and a half months!"

"Well you haven't had sex in years," Haley shot back.

"That's different, you've had the love of your life beside you this entire time and not once?"

Haley shrugged, "beyond that he's distant. The only thing I can come up with is that he doesn't want the baby. I don't understand it, he loves kids. You see him around the girls and Jenny! I know he loves me…I hope."

"There is something seriously wrong with the Scott brothers," Brooke told Haley. She put her hand on her friends', "what are you going to do?"

"If I told you I was considering moving to Chicago to be closer to family, what would you say," Haley asked as one fat tear rolled down her cheek.

Brooke rose and pulled Haley to her, "then I would say the more the merrier especially if it includes a newborn niece or nephew and I know Nate would agree. I would also say not to make any rash decisions and that no matter what I love you."

Brooke walked back to her bedroom after settling Haley back in her bed. It was unfathomable to her that Luke didn't want his baby. She knew he was in love with Haley. Brooke had known Luke for years and still considered him one of her best friends. He wasn't a man that set out with the intention to hurt someone he loved. He was a compassionate man, more so than Nathan had ever been and Nathan had been a scared, love sick puppy when she'd been pregnant with the twins.

She smiled then at the memory of when she was pregnant. They had been so happy, so incredibly naïve. She could remember one particular night when she had thought her happiness had risen to its highest and could never exceed that point. She had been about eight months pregnant, probably thirty-four weeks, and feeling every single one of them. After a long day choosing fabrics for a new line of clothing that she'd had in her head forever her feet were sore, she had to pee again and there was a fine ache at the base of her back.

Brooke had walked in late and Nathan rose from his spot on the couch, "where were you? I called your cell phone!"

"I have to sit," was her reply. She eased her weight down onto the couch and settled her hand at the bottom of her stomach, trying to take some of the weight from her back.

"I almost had a heart attack," Nathan told her, getting on his knees in front of her so they were eye to eye.

She caressed his stubble roughened cheek, "I'm sorry, baby, I lost track of time."

"You can't go off by yourself anymore, Davis, what if your water broke? I need to know where you are so that way if anything happens I can be there for you," Brooke smiled at him and then winced. She took his hand placed it under her shirt and onto a small protrusion in her large belly.

"Your baby is kicking me," she whispered.

Nate smiled and kissed her belly before he looked into her eyes with a devilish glint in his eye, "I'm going to make you come."

Brooke could only smile back. Most of the time she felt like a beached whale but when Nathan looked at her like that it made everything make sense. And that night they made love and ate some dinner and made love again. And when Brooke was beginning to dose off she felt Nathan put his hand on her belly, protecting her and their babies, and her heart swelled.

"What are you doing out here," Brooke looked up, realizing that she was still standing outside of their bedroom. Nathan was wearing a pair of briefs and was in the process of rubbing one eye.

Brooke didn't even get out the first syllable of her smart response because for this moment she didn't want anything as much as she wanted Nathan again. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and drew his mouth down to hers.

Heaven help her, Brooke thought, but Nathan had never tasted so good. His tongue was challenging hers, trying to best it and steadily causing flames of heat to lick up her body. Her body temperature was sky rocketing, she was sure, because she felt like she was on fire.

"Brooke," he groaned her name and wrapped his hands around her ass before lifting her to his body and walking into their room. He kicked the door closed and gently laid Brooke down on the bed. He looked into her eyes, looked at her kiss swollen lips, "what happened in the space of six hours?"

Brooke sat up enough to pull her sleep shirt over her head and reveal herself to him, if memory served Nathan Scott had never been able to focus after watching someone strip. He groaned again and bent his head to suck one of her cherry red nipples into his mouth. She threw her head back in abandon. It had been too long since she had last been with him.

"Nate," she begged.

He opened up his mouth and licked his finger. She knew what he was going to do, they held their eyes contact as he rubbed an aching circle around her clit. Brooke shivered in spite of herself. Nathan's eyes were hooded and gazing at her body as if it was the first time he'd ever seen it.

As he moved down Brooke shivered, knowing that as soon as he found his prize there would be no turning back. Nathan, sensing her feelings stopped, "you okay with this?"

She nodded and then she tossed her head back because she couldn't possibly sit still when Nathan was doing all of the things he was doing to her. He licked her and kissed her and made love to her with his tongue until she was a weeping puddle of human flesh begging for release, only then did he spread her luscious legs and gently nudge his swollen head into her moist heat.

Brooke tried to thrust up, tried to control the pace, but they both knew he wasn't the type of man to allow his woman to take control during a very crucial period in their relationship. He slid into her inch by inch slowly until she was pounding onto his back, scratching him, begging him to take her.

"Tell me you love me," Nathan was as surprised by his words as Brooke was.

Both of them stopped and Brooke looked into his eyes, wanting to admit it to him more then she wanted to breathe, but she had trusted him once with her heart and it had gotten her nowhere.

She didn't have to say anything, he knew that she wasn't ready to admit it, didn't trust him enough. He left her body and strode to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Brooke laid in the bed, her legs spread wide and tears running down her numb face.


	7. One Step Forward

Nathan stood awake on his porch. The wind was howling in Chicago that night. He welcomed the cold, welcomed the numbing sensation because every time he allowed himself time to consider anything except basketball and the girls his thoughts drifted across the hall to the woman lying asleep. It had been a week since they had returned from Tree Hill where he had gotten a total of nothing accomplished. If anything they returned to Chicago with less than what they'd started with. He and Brooke only spoke in the presence of the girls or on topics directly involving the girls. It was a lonely home. He was angry. Brooke knew him, she should know that he was being honest that she could trust him. She should've trusted him when he told her that day at his mother's house that he had never done anything with Peyton. For the life of him he could not figure out a way to remedy the situation. He felt close to losing hope.

0000

Brooke laid out two plates of scrambled eggs and cut up pancakes in front of the girls and then turned to pour their orange juice when the phone rang. She lifted it and held it between her ear and shoulder, "hello?"

"Morning," Nathan grabbed his plate from the counter and sat down at the table with the girls, "did you ladies sleep well?"

"I dreamt of doing cartwheels with Aunt Haley in the snow," Ally told him.

"Really," Nathan arched an eyebrow, "well I don't think Aunt Haley will be up for cartwheels for a while."

Brooke clicked off the phone and laid it on the counter, "speaking of Aunt Haley."

Nathan turned to her. She was dressed in her usual skirt suit, her hair clipped up and heels that he assumed hurt like hell, "what's up?"

"Girls, Daddy and I are going into the living room finish up your food and drink your juice," Brooke led the way to the living room and turned suddenly, colliding with Nathan's strong, naked chest.

Nathan put his hands on her hips to steady her and for a moment the same old electricity flew through their bodies. Brooke was looking up into his eyes, her mouth opened slightly. Nathan dipped his head slightly and just darted his tongue out to taste her. One little taste, just enough to get him through the day.

"Nate," she groaned and her eyes slipped closed.

He rubbed her hips and fought himself from pulling her to his erection, "who was on the phone?"

Brooke's eyes opened and she took a cautious step back, "that was Hales. I talked to her while we were down there and it looks like one of her fears has come around."

Nathan gripped Brooke's shoulders, "what's wrong with Haley?"

"She's leaving Luke."

"She's what? She's almost seven months along. What the hell did my dumb ass brother do," Nathan sounded furious.

Brooke pushed him toward the recliner and when he was sitting she put a hand on his shoulder, "I told her she could stay with us for as long as she needed to. Anyway, Haley doesn't think Luke wants the baby."

"What," Nathan was shocked, "Luke loves kids and God knows he loves Haley."

"Regardless," Brooke lowered her voice, "he hasn't touched her since he found out she was pregnant."

His eyes widened, "that's nuts. When you were pregnant if it was possible I wanted you more. That doesn't sound like Luke at all and he didn't say anything to me. There is something so sexy about your woman heavily pregnant with your child. It makes a man feel like…I can't even explain it."

Brooke's mouth had gone dry at the mentioning of their past sexual encounters. She wished that she could return to that point right before she'd had the twins when everything had seemed so less complicated.

"Mommy," Molly called.

She sighed, "I'll get them to brush their teeth and then I have to get going. I told her you'd be at the airport to pick her up."

Nate nodded and watched her leave the room in shock. Just what kind of mess had Luke gotten himself into? And how was Nathan supposed to help him when he couldn't even help his own relationship?

0000

"Aunt Haley," Molly jumped around Haley's legs as they stood in the airport, bursting with pleasure.

Nathan grinned at his sister but he was also looking her over. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt that was stretched over her ever growing tummy. There were bags under her eyes and it was obvious her smile was forced for Molly's sake. Nathan shifted Ally so her head was on his shoulder, she had passed out on the way to the airport, "hey, Hales."

"Are you angry," Haley whispered as she hugged him.

"Why would I be angry? I get to see my niece or nephew before anyone else," Nate replied and kissed her head.

"Aunt Haley, Mommy said that you were going to stay with us and that I was to make you feel home," Molly told her and took her hand as they began to walk.

"Where is Mommy," Haley asked.

Nathan gave her a long suffering look, "trying hard to run away."

Haley smiled, "something tells me you're gaining on her."

"Mommy's not running away," Molly argued.

"No," Nathan agreed, "she's not."

0000

"When I say a double layer and cross over stitch I mean a double layer and cross over stitch. Did I hire a foreign exchange student with a second grade education," Haley and Nathan looked up from the table as Brooke entered the back door that evening.

"She's harsh," Haley murmured.

Brooke focused on Haley, a smile growing, "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Have an excellent night doing what I told you to do at seven this morning. I hope you weren't trying to interrupt me. Call me if there's an emergency and it had better be life or death because if you wake up either of my three-year-olds I will be livid. Good bye. Hales."

Haley rose awkwardly with a hand from Nathan and found herself in Brooke's arms. Suddenly all the bravado she'd been holding onto left her and she felt limp. Nathan rose immediately and drew her toward the chair.

"Haley James," Brooke took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and handed it to her, "you know better. You have to drink lots of water. I don't care how upset this whole situation has gotten you. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of premature labor."

Nathan grinned, "she's been drinking water. I think she's just upset."

Haley sighed and put a hand on her stomach, "this is just such a mess. How am I going to bring a baby into the world when I don't even have a place in it anymore?"

Brooke's face softened, "it's actually an easy answer, you'll do what you have to. You're hurting and that kind of hurt doesn't leave easily but the second you hold your baby the only thing that will matter more than your pain is its well being."

Nathan stared at Brooke, the reason for his existence, "he called me."

"What'd you say," Haley asked, sniffling loudly.

"I told him the truth. I told him you were staying with us until you figured out what you needed to do. I told him that he's my brother and always welcome in my home but not at the expense of your health. I told him that he was starting to resemble Dan," Nathan admitted.

Brooke's eyes widened, "he must be furious with you."

Haley smiled at Nate, "thank you. I just didn't know what else to do. After you guys left the house was just so devoid of life. I felt like I was stifling under Luke's lack of love. I never thought having the man of my dreams baby would make me feel so horrible."

"Come on," Brooke took Haley's hand, "you need to take a shower and get some sleep. Don't think I haven't noticed those grocery bags under your eyes. I want you clean and comfy in the guest room. I still have my body pillow and there's a sleeping mask."

"She loved that body pillow toward the end of the pregnancy," Nathan added. Haley nodded and reluctantly made her way upstairs. When they were alone in the kitchen Nate turned to Brooke with a grin, "you do realize you're stuck in my bed again?"

Brooke nodded and looked at him, "you do realize that payback is a bitch right?"

"What do you mean," Nate asked, a frown on his face.

She spun until they were chest to chest, gripped his cock through the light fabric of his pajama bottoms and arched one perfect eyebrow, "get it?"

He nodded and watched in a trance as she walked out of the kitchen.

0000

"I need to know you trust me," Brooke looked up from her side of the bed where she had been reading Marie Claire. Nathan was standing in the doorway of the master bathroom in his briefs looking disgruntled and confused.

"I'm not going to lie and tell you I trust you when I don't know that I do," she replied, dropping the magazine onto her lap.

"Good," he walked toward her and got under the covers, "we're finally communicating."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "to be honest I'm not sure what we had was supposed to last. Honestly, Nate, it took all of our time and attention and hearts and souls. Maybe a love like that is too much for two people with the histories we have. Maybe a love like that can't be placed into the hands of people striving for normalcy in the wake of discombobulated youth."

"You've definitely chosen some wordie mag rags as of late. That was a great sentence," Nate pointed out. Brooke blushed to the roots of her hair. He leaned toward her, "the love we shared was amazing. Despite every thing that went wrong I never regretted loving you. I never regretted being with you, laughing and crying with you. Having those girls with you."

"That's it, don't you think, Ally and Molly are the key. Without them we'd only have our pasts, our tragedies, and then that love would leave us both bereft."

"What are you saying," Nate asked.

Brooke looked at him, merely inches away from her but it might as well of been a ocean of distance, "we don't have anything without them and I will not bind myself to a man who I'm not with because there is 100 love and trust. Without those two things everything will fall apart, it would just be a matter of time."

Nathan looked at her, "I don't believe that, Brooke. I can't believe that. I can't imagine myself with anyone else. You're the woman I want and I know you want me… I think we need to face them."

"No," Brooke shook her head, understanding him instantly, "I never want to see her face again."

"Do you think I want to see the person who hurt you, destroyed us? Do you think I want to talk to my father after all the shit he put us through? Brooke, we have got to let their shit go so we can move on. I want to be with you again!"

Brooke looked at him. She had been fighting her need to be with him since the moment they had parted ways years before. She had absolutely no doubt that there was anyone else for her. No one knew her moods, her heart, her past the way he did. He was her other half. Brooke had always been the strong one, the brave one, the one who would conquer every challenge and become the person she was determined to be. She didn't want to be a spoiled rich girl for ever, she wanted to earn her keep and have a family and love them. She had almost succeeded, but when tested she had fled.

Her nose flared, she realized that she had been a coward since the beginning. She could have fought; she could have whooped Peyton's ass and given Dan her opinion on his hold on Nathan. It made her sick to realize that she had been living with her self-righteous indignation at the cost of her children's happiness and stability.

"Davis, what's wrong," Nathan took her hand and looked worriedly at her.

"Okay," she whispered the word, promising nothing, but promising everything, "okay, we'll go see them."

Nate smiled at her and squeezed her hand, "thank you."


	8. Two Steps Sideways

The trip to Savannah, Georgia was long and hot despite the fact that it was almost Thanksgiving. It was unconceivable to Brooke that she and Nathan had been living together for four months. One hot day in July had changed everything for them. Now they had a chance if they could just throw away all the old bullshit and face their fears.

"When Ally was about eighteen months old," Brooke turned her attention from the endless fields of Georgia to Nathan's profile, "she had the worst bout with pneumonia."

"Oh my God," Brooke inadvertently grasped his hand on the stick shift.

"She had been feeling badly and had been to the doctor a few times in the weeks leading up to her diagnosis. The doctor kept saying she had ear infections, she was colicky, she was teething but I knew something was wrong. One night after I had been up with her for thirty hours straight, called into practice and was just tired I put her down in her crib determined take a fifteen hour power nap before I lost my head."

"What happened," Brooke whispered the question.

Nathan stopped at a red light, "she stopped breathing. I woke up within a minute of noticing she wasn't crying and she was starting to turn blue. I called 911, resuscitated her, I have never been so scared before in my life. I sat in the waiting room of the Emergency Department for two hours until she was stable enough to bring to the NICU. While I was there I thought of calling you a million times because I knew somehow, some way, you would get to Chicago and start threatening and demanding everyone's job until our baby was healthy and happy back home."

"Why didn't you?"

"I was still angry with you, I was still hurt, I was worried that you would take one look at Ally and decide you wanted her too no ifs, ands or buts."

Brooke's eyes watered, "why are you telling me this?"

"Because," he moved his hand so that they were lacing their fingers, "I want you to know every detail you missed. I don't want you to be surprised by anything. I want you to know that even though I try hard to be the kind of man you want to be with sometimes I fall short. I'm only human Brooke but if you ask me to I'll try and be your superhero."

"I'm not a superhero," she whispered.

"You hold yourself at a high standard and it makes everyone around you want to rise to that level," Nathan pulled into a small driveway and Brooke looked around, confused, "we're here."

0000

In the three years since they had laid eyes on Peyton Sawyer she hadn't changed much. Still blond, still green-eyed, still abnormally thin, Brooke thought sourly.

"Fucking anorexic," Brooke murmured.

"What'd you say," Nathan asked.

Brooke shook her head and continued to stare at the woman in the small backyard who still hadn't noticed them. She was hanging long white linen, which was so cliché, onto a clothes line and whistling a Metallica tune. In a rush there were so many things that Brooke wanted to know about how Peyton had gotten to this spot in her life but her memory only allowed the picture of Peyton with Nathan to seal in her mind.

"Did you kiss her," Brooke's questioned was whispered yet that was the moment Peyton noticed them.

Nathan took her hand, "I never kissed back."

"Okay," Brooke squeezed his hand and stepped forward.

0000

The house that Peyton Sawyer occupied was lovely if not dark, nothing unexpected. There were records and CDs everywhere along with a very high tech looking stereo system.

"Can I get you something to drink," Peyton asked. Brooke and Nathan shook their heads. They stood in an awkward group for a few more moments. Peyton sighed, "maybe you want to tell me why you're here? The last time I saw you, Brooke, you were spitting daggers at me and telling me our friendship was over. I never saw you again after that night."

"I moved to New York, I created and expanded Clothes Over Bros," Brooke told her stiffly.

"I know," Peyton sat on her recliner, "I've seen your stuff, its good Brooke, really good."

Nathan took a seat on the couch and pulled Brooke down beside him, "we wanted to talk to you because-"

Brooke interrupted him, "why did you do it?"

"After all these years," Peyton questioned leaning forward.

"Yeah, I want to know," Brooke replied.

Suddenly the air in the room, all ready simmering, was crackling with tension. Brooke's anger was palpable. Peyton crossed her fingers in a motion of prayer, "I thought I loved him."

"Liar," Brooke replied smoothly and quickly.

"I thought that he was the one for me not you," Peyton continued, "I thought I could love him better, be a better match. I thought we could be happy together!"  
"At any point," Brooke rose, "you can stop lying to my face, Peyton."

Peyton took a deep breath and as if a huge flood gate had been opened her mask slipped and all of the emotion bottled inside of her was released, "I was jealous!"

"Of what," Nathan asked.

"Me, us, the girls," Brooke replied.

Peyton glared at her, "did you ever stop to consider how lucky you were? You were born rich, you met the man of your dreams while he was unattached in high school, you were captain of the cheerleading squad, you were prom queen, formal princess and voted most likely to succeed. Did you ever consider the fact that no one else had it as easy as you? You just ran around telling everyone to try harder, that things would get better but you didn't know a damned thing about any of the shit any of us went through, including Nathan's crap with Dan. You raised the bar higher and higher until no one could clear it!"

Brooke stood in shock it was the second time in an hour that someone had told her that her standards were too high, first Nate and then Peyton. Maybe she had been too hard on everyone. She thought she was doing them a favor by pushing them, by pulling them out of their ruts all the time.

"So you decided to come after me," Nathan asked.

"Not exactly," Peyton conceded, no longer even trying to pretend she had done it out of love.

"What do you mean," Nathan was concentrating on Peyton. It had been a long time since she had felt a Scott's penetrating glare.

"Think about it Nathan! You had been out of college for months but you still hadn't decided on a pro team, your opportunity would be lost if you didn't make a decision before the May draft picks."

"So you did it because you knew I'd leave him and then he'd be forced to make a decision immediately," Brooke questioned, startled that Peyton had gone that far, had hated her so much. How could she have not known her best friend despised her?

"No," Nathan shook his head, his eyes narrowing, "Dan."

Peyton nodded slowly, "I won't make excused anymore but I will say that man knows how to manipulate situations. I don't know how he knew how I felt but he talked to me. He talked me into going out with you that night, he told me that you had told him you were tired of Chris stalking around and wanted to teach Brooke a lesson. I should have known better. You loved her far too much to ever hurt her that way."

Brooke looked at Nathan, her nose flaring in surprise at Peyton's observation, "why did you go out with her?"

"Because she was lonely, because she was a friend and I thought if both of us showed up you'd want to come home and hang out with both of us more than Chris," Nathan admitted.

"Brooke," Peyton looked her in the eyes, strong and steady, "he never kissed back, at all. He pushed me away and told me you were the one, that there had never been any doubt."

"Thank you, Peyton," Nathan rose and took Brooke's hand. As they walked toward the door Brooke stopped and turned back to Peyton, who was still sitting in her chair.

"You know I heard Jake was back in the area, I heard that he owned a bar in the historic district," Brooke told her and followed Nathan out of the house, gently closing the door behind her.


	9. Three Steps Into The Unknown

"That was tough," Brooke admitted as they drove through South Carolina on their way to North Carolina. She had been silent for the first hour, still in shock, her mind reeling.

"She's been struggling," Nathan told her, "it was obvious that her life has stalled. It's sad."

"If Peyton was hard for me," she looked at him, "Dan is going to be a nightmare for you."

"I know," Nathan nodded. There was a silence before he continued, "it's just that he knows what I'm thinking and what I'm going to do before I do it. I feel like everything I've ever done has been in his plan from the beginning. I'm his puppet."  
"You know, I think Dan only had what was best for you in his heart. The trouble was that he's a complete bastard. When Deb finally started to break away from him I was so happy. Throughout college I lived in fear that one day we'd get a call saying she'd overdosed."

"You really love my mom," Nathan glanced at her.

Brooke smiled, "Deb is my mom too. Sam and Victoria Davis paid my credit card bills, Deb went to every cheerleading competition, curled my hair for prom, went on constant shopping expeditions when I was pregnant and cried more than you when I walked down the aisle at our wedding."

"I wasn't crying," Nathan huffed.

"Yeah, what was your excuse," Brooke grinned despite herself, "a falling leaf had poked your eye as you were standing waiting for me at the altar. You always sucked at lying."

"Fine, I was crying a little, it was your fault."

"How was it my fault?"  
His fingers intertwined with hers, "you looked so gorgeous, you were glowing. It didn't hurt that your boobs were huge because of the pregnancy."  
Brooke slapped his chest but laughed and for the rest of the journey through South Carolina they laughed, and for a moment they felt they the way they had once upon a time.

0000

The next morning Nathan and Brooke checked out of their motel and got a small breakfast at a diner at the border of South and North Carolina. They didn't say much, they both knew that the coming reunion was going to take most of their strength. They arrived in Charlotte, NC at eleven in the morning.

The house that Dan occupied as the governor of Charlotte was gorgeous. A true gem in the heart of an old neighborhood. A year after the divorce between him and Deb he had married a twenty-something with breast implants and an intense need to be rich. Together they had worked their way up in the political system until Dan had become governor.

"It's a pretty brooding place," Brooke murmured.

Nathan looked at the vast estate and wondered how just knowing that his father lived there actually made the beauty dissipate, "let's get this over with."

Brooke didn't comment on the fact that Nathan was squeezing her hand tightly or that she could feel his trembling. There was no need to because they both knew that this was going to be a huge challenge. They had to face the enemy together or they wouldn't have a chance.

0000

A rather angry looking housekeeper allowed them entrance into the beautiful grand hall where Nathan and Brooke stood in awe. It seemed as if Dan's wealth had only increased since his divorce from Deb despite having to pay a high alimony.

"This reminds me of my old house," Brooke murmured.

Nathan smiled down at her, the beautiful girl behind the red door, but before he could respond he felt a chill go down his spine. Dan Scott was walking toward them from the back of the house, "Nathan!"

"Dad," Nathan replied.

"What do to I owe this pleasant surprise," Dan asked stopping a few feet from them.

"You remember my wife, Brooke," Nathan felt his blood pressure rising just being in his father's presence.

"Ex-wife," Dan corrected.

Brooke laced her fingers with Nathan, "that's up for discussion. How are you Dan?"

"Well," Dan motioned with his hand at his glorious surroundings, "being the governor of a Southern state has its perks."

"So we see," Brooke replied with an arch of one of her eyebrows.

After a long moment where Dan Scott stood, looking the exact same as years before, staring at Nathan he finally spoke, "why don't we go to the sitting room and you can tell me why you're really here."

"Good idea," Nathan agreed.

After they had sat and served coffee Dan grinned, "do you have a picture of my grandchildren?"

"You were never interested in them before, no need to start now," Brooke replied.

"On the contrary, I'm very interested in them. I'm also looking forward to my first grandson. Haley is due soon," Dan told them.

Brooke pointed her finger at him and her lips thinned, "you will go nowhere near Haley!"

"Davis," Nathan grabbed her hand and looked at Dan, who was chuckling.

"Still a hellcat, Brooke? I would have thought you'd outgrown that phase," Dan commented.

"Look, Dad, we're here to ask you a few simple questions and if you could answer them we'll be on our way."

Dan looked at Nathan, "why should I answer any of your questions?"

"Because I think you owe me that much," Nathan replied.

"Why do I owe you anything? I was just doing what any father would do for his talented, naïve, son. You have a gift Nathan and because I pushed you now you're one of the best professional basketball players in the United States."

"I also have an amazing woman and two beautiful daughters. Two things you tried your hardest to ruin for me," Nathan pointed out.

Dan looked at Nathan, "ask me the questions."

"Why did you have Peyton kiss me that night," Nathan asked.

"Because your 'amazing woman' was screwing around with a skinny twerp behind your back and I wanted her to feel the pain that I knew you would be feeling when you finally opened your eyes and realized that she was the two bit whore I always told you she was."

"You realize that the last time you saw Molly was the day before that, the last time you saw Ally was a few weeks after. You haven't seen your grandchildren in years because you were messing around in business that wasn't yours," Nathan felt his temper rising with every second that passed.

Dan sat forward, "your future has always been my business. Whether you like it or not you will always be my son, I did my duty as your father."  
"You were always so worried after my parents disowned me because I got married and pregnant that I would try and take Nathan's money," Brooke smiled as she spoke, "but you never realized that I'm ambitious. I've become independently wealthy. I made more than Nathan this year."

"Only two grand more," Nathan scowled at her but also tickled her palm with his fingers.

"And we're together, and we're raising the girls, and they love Deb. Haley and Luke will never speak with you. Dan you messed up," Brooke continued.

"You always had a big mouth, Brooke Davis," Dan seethed.

"Davis-Scott," Brooke corrected, "I never legally changed it."

"I let you control my life for a long time, Dad, even when I moved away and thought you weren't influencing me. I won't let you be my excuse anymore, Dan. I'm going to be a good husband again and an even better father and uncle. But you won't be a part of that," Nathan stood and held his hand out to Brooke, "let's go."

Dan rose as they were walking toward the door, "I only wanted what was best for you, Nathan."

Nathan looked back and then down at Brooke, "she's right next to me, Dan, she always has been."

0000

Haley yawned hugely and rubbed her ever growing stomach. The girls were dueling in front of her with paper towel rolls and she could tell that something was probably going to break. Lucas still hadn't called her since the week before. Their conversation had been short and to the point. She had told him that she couldn't be with him if he didn't or couldn't love their baby. He had told her that he was in love with her. Haley had believed him. She knew, had always known, that Lucas loved her but she wasn't on her own anymore. She had a baby to protect and raise, it was a shame that she couldn't count on Lucas to want to participate. He had agreed to send any money she needed and his contract would still cover her medical insurance. They had bundled up their relationship in twenty minutes and she still didn't have a clue why he didn't want the baby.

"Aunt Haley, look its Uncle Lucas! You can be happy again," Ally squealed.

Haley looked up at the entrance of the living room and sucked in a breath. Lucas was standing in his glory, looking every inch the gorgeous boy she had met decades before. She rose awkwardly and tried to force words out of her mouth.

"I love you, Haley James, you can't leave me," Luke told her at the exact moment Brooke and Nathan walked through from the kitchen door.

Brooke stopped abruptly, Nathan bumped into her, Ally and Molly ran to them and Brooke let loose a chuckle that shook her body, "well, there is something to be said about great timing."


	10. Back To Good

Brooke and Nathan took their time getting the girls washed up and into bedBrooke and Nathan took their time getting the girls washed up and into bed. They knew that both of them wanted to spend extra time with their parents because it was their first time without at least one of them. Eventually the joy of their parents being home and Uncle Lucas appearing wore them down and by eight-thirty both of them were sleeping and Molly was snoring like a truck driver.

"I missed them," Brooke whispered as she and Nathan closed their door.

Nathan looked down at Brooke and wanted to tell her so much. He wanted to tell her that he had been a fool, that he had never stopped loving her but instead all he said was, "me, too."

For a moment she looked disappointed then a loud noise from the kitchen drew a grin from her, "I guess we'd better go save Haley. Or Lucas, whoever's in danger."

Nathan followed her down the steps and into the kitchen, "I'm willing to bet its Luke."

0000

Haley stood in the middle of the kitchen when Brooke and Nathan walked in. Lucas was cleaning up a pile of glass that had once been a cup. Haley looked sheepish, "I'm sorry."

Brooke smiled, "if you threw it then there are no apologies needed, it just means I taught you something after all."

"God, how many dishes did we go through our first few years living together," Nathan asked as he sat on one of the stools at the tall counter. He began to peel an orange, "so big brother, come to grovel?"

Lucas dumped the dust pan and finally sat across from Brooke at the kitchen table, "I came back to get you Hales."

"Luke," Haley sounded exasperated, "I don't know how many times I can explain this. It isn't just me any more. In a month or so I'm going to have our baby. And if you don't want it or you don't want the responsibility of raising our child then you have to let me go. Our baby deserves better."

Luke winced and Brooke felt his pain, that was one hell of a blow, "Haley, I know that I have to do better but I promise to try. I can't live without you. You just don't understand, these past few weeks have been hell. I can't sleep and I can't eat. Without you nothing matters. I can't live without you."

"But you can live without sex because the idea that I'm pregnant with your child is so disgusting to you," she questioned.

"It's not that," Luke told her.

"Then what is it? We had sex the day before I told you I was pregnant. That night you couldn't even face me in bed," Haley reminded him.

"But I always loved you," he declared passionately.

Haley slammed her hand on the counter in front of Nathan making him jump, "how can you love me and not want our baby? I don't get it! You're fantastic with the girls, you love them, you always have. Is it because it's a boy?"

"Haley," Luke pulled his hand over his buzz cut.

"No," her eyes filled with tears, "how can you love every other child but not your own? Do you know how it felt when you denied me? I've never felt so unwanted, so undesirable."

"I never meant for you to feel like that," Luke swore.

"But I did. It hurt, Luke, it hurt like hell. Here's the deal, Luke, I will never love another man the way I love you. You're my soul mate. But you hurt me more than you could imagine because you don't love this child we've made together. There is one thing that matters now, and it's not either of our feelings, it's this baby. He deserves to have my love. He never deserves to know that you didn't want him even before he was born."

"I love you," Luke told her.

She continued as if he hadn't spoken, "I want you to leave here. I never want a cent from you and I never want to see you again. I won't be able to go on if I have to see you every other day. I'm going to make a life for me and our," she took a breath and corrected herself, "_my_ son."

Haley began to walk out of the kitchen. Nathan scowled at his brother, "you're a God damned fool. Don't make my mistakes!"

Luke rose, "I'm scared, Haley."

Brooke sucked in a breath, the tears she'd been holding in burned brightly in her eyes, as Haley turned around. She didn't look convinced, "of what?"

"Nathan and Brooke were lucky, they had two kids that were normal. We're all positive carriers for Dan's heart condition. Dan had to get that heart transplant last year. It scares me shitless to realize that I could give that to our baby. I would rather cut off my fucking feet then to let you walk away. I told myself that maybe if we didn't make love there would be a smaller chance of harming the baby. I couldn't hug you and kiss you without wanting you. Damn it, Hales, you're the only woman I see! Seeing you get bigger carrying our baby turns me on every time I get a glimpse of you!"  
Brooke snickered but coughed it back when Nathan gave her a frown. Lucas took a step toward Haley, "if something is wrong with our baby and it's because of me, because of Dan, I will never be able to forgive myself."

Haley exhaled, "you are the stupidest man I have ever laid eyes on," and wrapped her arms around Luke's neck.

Lucas held her to him and breathed her in. Around that time Brooke and Nathan snuck out. Nathan stopped by the phone and snatched a few tissues for Brooke, who was sniffling noisily.

"Come on, Davis, let's go to bed."

0000

After the two days of explanations from Peyton and Dan, both Nathan and Brooke fell asleep instantly in their familiar bed. Early the next morning the girls crawled into bed with them and then Brooke was called into work for an emergency meeting. Nathan drove Haley and Luke to the airport. At the gate Nathan looked over his soon to be sister-in-law, "your doctor said it was okay to travel?"

"Yes," Haley hugged him, "thank you for everything, Nate. Kiss Brooke for me."

"I wish I could get around her long enough alone to kiss her for anybody," Nathan replied.

"She's still soaking it in," Haley told him. She held both girls to her as Lucas hugged his brother.

"Thanks for watching out for her," Luke told Nate.

"It was my pleasure. Make an honest woman of her one of these days," Nate recommended.

"I plan on legally binding her to me as soon as she'll let me," Luke replied.

Nate nodded, "call us as soon as the baby's born, we'll come down with the girls."

Luke searched his brother's eyes before replying, "you're both still in love. Face your fears, both of you, it's worth it."

Nathan held his girls in his arms as they watched the plane take off and thought of Luke's words.

0000

Brooke walked into the bedroom she had been sharing with Nathan and gulped. She had been unsure of where they stood as a couple. God knew she wanted him, but did that mean they were trying again? Was she ready to do that again. She certainly loved him enough to try.

Nathan smiled as she entered the bedroom. He blew out the match after lighting the last candle. He had lit a series of candles throughout the room and had sprinkled a ton of red rose petals over their bed.

"What's this," Brooke asked as she gently placed her briefcase on the floor.

Nathan handed her a glass of champagne, "it doesn't look familiar?"

Brooke looked into Nathan's eyes and smiled mischievously, "were you trying to recreate the first night of our honeymoon?"

"Only thing that's changed is we're in Chicago and you can actually drink the champagne," Nathan replied.

She giggled, "taking sips and spitting them back out so no one would see I wasn't drinking and guess I was pregnant."

"Peyton was sure you were drunk," Nathan stopped and smacked his head, "that was stupid!"  
"No," Brooke took his hand, "I can think of her without seething anger now. She's sad now."

Nathan squeezed her hand, "I want to try again Brooke."

She looked into his blue eyes and felt her heart do a familiar thump. There would never be another man who could make her feel the way Nathan Scott did simply by looking at her. She pulled his head down and met his lips in a kiss. He tasted like champagne and Nathan. He tasted like the man of her dreams.

"Make love with me," she whispered across his lips.

Nathan slid her jacket down her back and took two sides of her silk blouse before ripping down the middle to expose the pink lace of her bra. Her skirt followed in short order and then was Nathan was on his knees in front of her, loving her gently with his tongue. She tossed her head back, she felt her bobby pins fall out but didn't care.

"Nathan," she begged him.

He made her beg, took her to the edge over and over until she couldn't stand it and she was flying over, a shivering mess. Before her climax had even run its course Nathan was ripping off his shorts and positioning himself above her.

"Tell me you love me."

Brooke looked up in his blue eyes, tears shimmering just below the surface, "I love you, Nathan Scott, more than I have ever loved anyone else."

"Oh God," Nathan sunk all of his length into her warmth in one long, satisfying stroke. Brooke cried out beneath him, her hips rising to meet him halfway. She was tight and hot and everything he remembered her being. She was magnificent.

"Nathan," she called out his name, willing him to follow her over the cliff.

"Oh God, Brooke," he buried his head in her neck and his fingers dug into her hips as they met one last time and the world exploded. There was only light and pleasure and their love, shining bright and all consuming, "I love you, baby. I love you, Brooke."

Her arms tightened around his neck as her body gripped his cock harder and harder, milking him completely. She cried, not because of her climax but because suddenly it felt as if it was spring. She had put her heart into a deep winter to try and stop the pain and suddenly it was thawing in the presence of their love. It had always been inside of her. It had been in her heart and in his and in their daughter's faces.


	11. Epilogue

"Shit, shit, shit," Brooke muttered as she ran past Haley, nearly spinning her into a chair, and flipping open the tops of two different shoe boxes.

"Brooke, what are you looking for," Haley asked after steadying herself.

"Mommy, you swore," Ally told her.

Brooke took a peak at one pair of lilac Jimmy Choos, considered them, decided against them and then looked at the other pair, "Sorry baby girls! Haley James Scott did you bring this pair of pearl Nine West fling backs?"

"Why yes I did," Haley grinned and pulled Ally to her for a small hug.

"Do I tell you often enough how much I love you," Brooke asked.

Haley looked over her best friend and thought of the two years that had passed since the last time she had been in Chicago. Her son, James Keith Scott, had just celebrated his second birthday and was showing sure signs of looking just like his Daddy, he was also completely healthy with no sign of any heart defects. Now she was back in Chicago with her family to celebrate the official remarriage of Nathan Scott and Brooke Davis. A marriage that Haley considered long in coming. If it had been up to her then the two of them would have been married a week after she'd gotten the morning phone call from Brooke gushing about the phenomenal sex she'd had the night before. But they had been patient, working out all of their issues and doing all sorts of things.

"Okay, girls and Haley, how do I look," Brooke asked. She twirled showing off her knee length Vivienne Westwood halter dress. It reached her knees and fitted around her waist perfectly.

"You look so pretty, Mommy," Molly told her while she spun around in her pink dress.

"You look like my Barbie," Ally added.

"You glow, honey," Haley told her.

Brooke beamed at them, feeling so happy that she thought she might burst, "thank you, ladies."

There was a soft knock at the door and then Keith was peaking into the room, "Brooke you guys should start down the stairs now. Also, there's someone here to see you."

Brooke waited expectantly and was surprised to see Peyton in the doorway. She hadn't seen her since that day those years before, but she had forgiven. Still it was unexpected to see her there at the church dressed in a gorgeous sea green dress and so pregnant she looked ready to pop.

"Peyton," Haley said her name with a smile on her lips. The last time she had seen Peyton was right after Brooke moved to New York with Molly. She had been an empty shell that day but this Peyton she was glowing and smiling and confident in her own skin.

"I hope you don't mind but I really wanted to be here to celebrate with you," she told Brooke.

Brooke looked at her, really focused on her. She believed that she could tell if a person was bullshitting her, Peyton seemed very sincere. If she felt like having quiet meditation before her wedding she would consider that she had been waiting for her best friend to return from the deep abyss for years.

"I'm glad you could make it," they exchange an awkward hug that was extinguished by Peyton's baby kicking Brooke's abdomen, "oh my! Who's the baby Daddy?"

Peyton grinned and looked back toward the door, "you can come in, she didn't kick me out!"

"Way to plan ahead," Haley murmured. She had her arms around the girls and they were quiet, waiting for their mother to tell them who the strange pregnant lady was.

"Jagielski," Brooke's grin spread across her face and she beamed before wrapping her arms around Jake's neck and pulling him close. She pulled back and looked back and forth between him and Peyton, "how, when?"

"According to Peyton you told her where I had set up my new bar and she decided that she wasn't going to let anyone rule her life except her. Somewhere along those lines she decided she wanted me and I'd been waiting for her to figure that out _forever_," Jake replied and hugged Haley who had jumped up when he had entered.

"And now," Haley motioned toward the pregnant belly in the room.

"Complete accident," Peyton arched an eyebrow, "on my part. We got married and I said I wanted to wait, Jake decided that he wanted to be a father pronto," the smiled on her face as she gazed at her husband took any harshness out of the words.

"Birth control is a two person responsibility Peyton," Jake joked pulling her to his side.

Brooke nodded, her auburn curls bouncing against her should. She was glad, so glad, that these two had found each other. Something inside of her clicked and her world, all ready phenomenal, was placed on a brand new level.

"Let's go get your Mommy married," Haley told the girls as she gently pushed them toward the door.

"Wait," Brooke grinned at her daughters, "Ally and Molly this is Peyton and Jake, two of me and Aunt Haley's oldest friends. Can you say hi?"  
"Hi," they waved simultaneously.

Peyton smiled at them and whispered, "they've grown so much."

"We all have," Brooke told her and gently squeezed her hand, "now let's go get me married, again."

XOXOXO

Brooke took a deep breath before placing her left foot on the stair and beginning her descent into martial bliss. She didn't have cold feet, she had never wanted anything as much as she wanted to be married to Nathan again. And as she watched their daughters walk ahead of Haley, gently depositing pink and red roses on the white carpet leading to the altar her heart swelled.

She finally looked up and met Nathan's eyes. His blue eyes pierced her soul, as usual, and she felt her eyes swell with tears. Tall, strong, loving Nathan. They had worked hard over the years to really communicate and be there for one another. It wasn't hard to love Nathan , in fact it wasn't even optional, but their relationship the second time around was so much easier. Maybe it was the wisdom of years passing or maybe it was just because of the fact that they both knew that their relationship was worth sacrificing their pride for.

God, she thought, she had never felt so complete as she did at that moment. She loved everything about the man. His look of concentration as he passed their five month old daughter, Lena Joy, to his mother quickly and then the look of utter happiness as he gazed into her eyes again.

As she took his hand he whispered down to her, "you'll never guess who's here and who's pregnant!"

"Peyton's here with Jake and they're pregnant," Brooke whispered back.

Nathan looked surprised, "how'd you know?"

Brooke waved the question aside and grinned, "What's wrong with the baby?"

"Nothing, she just gets cranky when her afternoon snack is thrown off schedule," Nathan told her sending a significant look down to Brooke's cleavage.

"I pumped," Brooke reminded him.

The pastor coughed slightly and both of them smiled at him, so close to laughter that Nathan was turning red. Finally he coughed and kissed her hand, "ready to get married?"

"It's like asking me if I'm ready for my dreams to come true," she whispered back.

THE END


End file.
